Episode 4: How Travel Can Help Bring Clean Drinking Water To Communities Around The World
Waves For Water founder Jon Rose in Sumatra, Indonesia, a place that inspired his mission to bring clean drinking water to those who need it.
In our travels outside the U.S., as unique as the destination might be, we often see a familiar scene unfold. Groups of women and children, or even whole families, walking for miles to collect clean water for the day. The scarcity of potable water across huge swaths of the globe is a daily reality for around two billion people, according to the World Health Organization. Especially when venturing to remote places or developing countries—from Cambodia to Madagascar—it’s often shocking how dire the need is.
Nihi Sumba, a surf resort founded by Claude Graves. When building it, Claude experienced firsthand the pressing need for clean water in the surrounding communities. Photo by Tania Araujo.
In this episode, we talk to two people who are working hard to address this issue. Jon Rose is a former pro surfer–turned-humanitarian, and founder of Waves For Water. This NGO’s courier program gives travelers a way to be part of the solution in a very tangible way: By bringing portable water filtration systems to communities they seek out and engage with while on the road.
A woman on Sumba accesses fresh water thanks to the Sumba Foundation’s extensive projects. Photo courtesy of the Sumba Foundation.
Claude Graves, cofounder and managing director of the Sumba Foundation, is our second guest. He shares the story of how he discovered the serious need for potable water sources on Sumba Island as he was building one of the world’s premiere surf resorts, Nihi Sumba, a couple decades ago. As he’s seen firsthand, clean water was the necessary first step in setting off a chain of events that’s led to vastly improved nutrition, health, and even educational opportunities for the island’s people.
Whether you come to the cause from an environmental perspective, wishing to cut down on single-use plastic, or feel for those who can’t simply turn on the tap and quench their thirst with what pours out, there are ways to get involved. And if Jon and Claude are to be believed, doing so might just enrich your entire trip in untold ways. Follow their adventures @jon_rose, @wavesforwater, @sumbafoundation and @nihi.