Charity's water kits help disaster-hit communities

The Rotary Water Survival Box charity has responded to many disasters, such as the 2023 Moroccan earthquake

A project started in the aftermath of a devastating tsunami 20 years ago has seen 22,400 water survival boxes delivered across the globe.

The Rotary Water Survival Box initiative started in Chelwood Village Hall in Somerset, in response to the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, with each box containing water filtration units, hygiene items and basic tools.

The project has since responded to 94 natural and man-made disasters around the world, including 45 different countries, most recently to the Lebanon and to Ukraine.

"Sadly, disasters are happening all of the time," said Hugo Pike, founder, chairman and current trustee of Water Survival Box.

"The number one priority is about saving people from waterborne disease."

Community members unloading water survival boxes in Amizmiz village, Morocco

The charity's mission is to save lives by ensuring that everyone has access to safe drinking water.

The project started with an existing project run by a rotary club in Derbyshire, which responded to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami by sending water filtration kits to countries such as Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia.

"We just felt a need to try and do something, but that was mirrored by the public desire to do something," said Mr Pike.

The water boxes contain water filtration units and cooking utensils

Since then, the project has provided aid to many countries in South East Asia, Africa, South America and the Caribbean.

Following the 2023 earthquake in Morocco, Mr Pike visited some relocated villagers in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, who had been using some of the equipment sent by the charity.

"There were tears in their eyes and in ours when they were there," he said.

"It was a very humbling experience to witness that, and to appreciate how much they valued the aid we gave them."

In December, the project's consignment of 300 water boxes was sent to families displaced by the Israeli/Hezbollah conflict in Beirut.

Their 12th consignment of aid to Ukraine arrived in December.

They are currently working towards supporting the unfolding disaster caused by Cyclone Chido in Mayotte and the Comoros Islands in the Indian Ocean.