Failure
Around 2002, I donated a $700 Katadyn water filter to an orphanage in Haiti. I instructed them on the use of the filter, and asked them to be sure and filter water for the neighbours of the orphanage too… to build up good relationships with their community. They seemed amazed that such a small piece of equipment (around 10 pounds) would actually work to create clean water, but after I drank water purified by the unit, they were convinced.
The filter was rated for 20,000 gallons, so I told them whenever they used it up, to let me know and I would send them another cartridge. I thought we were golden when I left.
Because the filter was so expensive, after I left, it got put into a locked closet. It was rarely taken out and used. I don’t believe it was ever used for the neighbors and rarely for the orphans.
Eventually, someone broke into the closet, or an employee with a key, not sure which, stole the water filter and sold it. The money did not, to my understanding, go to serve the orphans in any way. I have always hoped that someone was getting clean water from it, but who knows?
Learning
What did I learn? Portable isn’t always good. High tech isn’t always good. Be aware that not all people are honest. Poverty is a bitch. Solving problems isn’t easy.
Sorry to hear about the filter. Have them try a slow sand filter. See my site and many others on the web for details. These filters work and they can be built with local materials, require no chemicals, and are sustainable technology.
I think you had a great idea and good motives but you need to think about human nature, which is based on the lowest common denominator: greed. In my experience, the way to make a situation like this work is that you have to have someone dedicated to oversight and being on the ground to actually make sure the right things happen. That’s difficult because you have to find the right person, train them, and then pay them to keep them on the job. I think it all comes down to the idea of enforceable stewardship: someone has to make sure the right things happen. Kudos on trying to help provide clean water, and the incident is a valuable lesson for everyone.