Taal Volcano, located 60km south from Metro Manila, spewed ash plumes last Sunday that has brought the volcano to warning Level 4, one level away from a magmatic eruption. 

Over a million Filipinos have been affected or evacuated to the other rims of the volcano. A day after the first ash plume Waves For Water Philippines, with support from Bikerbox, started by implementing portable water filtration systems in the evacuation areas in Batangas. With government offices and fellow disaster response organizations working tirelessly on the current phase of the eruption, Waves For Water is focusing on our response after the imminent eruption where we foresee a large wave of displacement. This first phase will be designed to mitigate the immediate suffering of the most impacted families, by implementing portable water filtration systems in communities in need.


To make a donation within the Philippines, find necessary information below:
Waves for Water Organization Inc. 
Bank details: Bank of the Philippine Islands 
Account Name: Waves for Water Organization Inc. 
Account Number: 2951-0014-09 
Bank Branch: BPI Natividad Chino Roces Extension

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Taal Volcano Response

Waves For Water has mobilized an urgent clean water disaster relief initiative in response Hurricane Dorian, the strongest Atlantic hurricane to make landfall on record.

The Category 5 storm, which smashed into northern Bahamas on Sunday, September 1st, hit the islands with initial winds in excess of 185 mph and gusts up to 220 mph. We fear the damage will be on par with or greater than any of the mega-disasters we’ve witnessed and responded to previously. To put things into perspective, Super-Storm Sandy had 90+ mph winds.

Our initial goal, as with any relief initiative, is to mitigate suffering by providing victims with access to safe water through the strategic implementation of water filtration systems, crucial in preventing the spread of waterborne illnesses. Our goal is to get as many clean water filtration systems on the ground as possible. Now with boots on the ground and our local networks established we have detailed our response in three phases:

__Phase 1__ - month 1-2: The initial phase of our Hurricane Dorian Disaster Response has been (and will continue to be) primarily focused on working with the most affected populations – many of which are undocumented civilians, who remain who have been forced to remain on the devastated islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama.

__Phase 2__ - months 3-9: During phase 2, our teams will push into smaller islands that traditionally rely on desalination and large centralized rain catchment systems – which are both vulnerable to contamination after an event like this, and in the case of desalinization systems, are heavily reliant on electricity. During this phase, we will build resiliency within impacted populations by creating smaller individual and community rain catchment systems. The population sizes of these small barrier islands have more than doubled with the influx of internally displaced persons who were displaced from Abacos and Grand Bahama. The increase in population is increasing the strain on their damaged water systems.

__Phase 3__ - months 9 and beyond: Having identified the need for long-term solutions and to build further resiliency against future storms, we will focus our support on trusted local community centers/groups. Ones that will ultimately be responsible for providing support in these communities, for years to come. Not unlike other communities we’ve worked in after events like this, these local groups/centers are ultimately the backbone of their recovery, long-term, and incredible resources for us to funnel our support through.


The impact Waves For Water is able to have is a direct result of your support and all of your help and encouragement is greatly appreciated. Thank you and stay tuned for more updates from the field.

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Bahamas Hurricane Disaster Response

Tropical Cyclone Idai ripped through Mozambique in the early hours of March 15, 2019 with 110 mph winds and heavy rains devastating this southern African country. More than half a million people were affected in the country and at least 110,000 sought refuge in camps. Reports indicate over seven thousands of cases of Cholera resulted from the disaster in the port city of Beira and outlying communities.

Waves For Water launched our Mozambique Cyclone Relief Initiative shortly after the disaster hit. Our initial goal, as with any relief initiative, is to help mitigate the suffering by providing victims with access to safe water through the strategic implementation of 500 water filtration systems, crucial in preventing or limiting the spread of waterborne illnesses. Then as we have boots on the ground and establish our local networks we work to implement long term programs that can be managed and built upon, locally.

Similar to the post-disaster work we continue to do in Haiti, throughout the Philippines, the Caribbean, and more, we are now in the second phase of the response. Following the initial urgent first phase, the second phase is focused on expanding the program by implementing more long term solutions such as rainwater harvesting systems and borehole wells, while continuing to seek out new regions of need beyond ground zero. We are looking for support to continue the important work we have started in this still devastated region. Thank you for your contribution.


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Mozambique Cyclone Relief

Waves For Water launched SETRI, a disaster relief initiative, in response to the earthquake and tsunami that hit the Indonesian city of Palu and the surrounding areas on Sulawesi Island on September 28, 2018. A 7.5 earthquake, followed by a tsunami, which in some areas reached heights of more than 20 feet, affected more than 1 million people living in the area. 

The death toll surpassed the 2,300 mark, and more than 70,000 people were displaced and 70,000 homes destroyed. With bridges down and roads destroyed, some heavily hit areas were hard to reach, making it difficult to assess damage and provide assistance. However, our team was able to effectively get to the hardest hit areas, strategically implementing over 200 filtration systems to have the most impact.

Indonesia is actually the birth place for Waves For Water... in September 2009 our founder, Jon Rose, was aboard a boat off the coast of Sumatra when he felt a slight shake. A 7.6 earthquake had destroyed the nearby city of Padang, with more than 1,000 lives lost and 100,000 homeless. He was actually on his way to Bali to implement 10 water filters for what was supposed to be the very first action for his pet-project idea, Waves For Water. Instead he became a first responder in Padang and implemented those 10 filters to relief centers around ground zero. It was this experience that truly set the course for what Waves For Water is today.

Our initial goal with any program like this is to help mitigate the immediate suffering by providing victims with access to safe water. Then as we have boots on the ground and start to establish our local networks we implement long term programs that can be managed and built upon, locally. It is really no different than the work we have done (and continue to do) in Haiti. For example, the first phase is urgent in nature and made up of multiple strategic strikes into the hardest hit areas of the disaster zone. These strikes entail us providing access to clean water by distributing portable water filtration systems to community centers, refugee camps, and individual families in these areas. 

Then the second phase, though still providing relief, consists of expanding the program by implementing more long term solutions, such as rainwater harvesting systems and borehole wells, while continuing to seek out new regions of need beyond ground zero. We are committed to continued support in this still devastated region and welcome yours.


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Sulawesi Relief Initiative

On August 5th & 19th, 2018, the island of Lombok was hit by
two consecutive earthquakes of 6.9 and 6.3 magnitude respectively.
The initial earthquake killed over 500 people, injured 7,000, destroyed
74,000 homes, displaced over 400,000 and wrecked devastation to
infrastructure and basic services such as water and electricity. Many
remote areas became inaccessible due to landslides, especially
triggered by multiple aftershocks and the second quake.

Waves For Water Australia mobilised for initial disaster response,
providing filters to travellers and local partners. Filters were implemented 
within the tent camps and tent schools.

Phase 1 of this disaster response, in September 2018, we worked directly with
military, local government leaders and other humanitarian organisations
already mobilised and working as first responders, such as the team
from Hotel Tugu. Much of our efforts where directed to refugee camps,
temporary schools and disconnected villages in Lombok far north.
Collectively we implemented 320 filters to approximately 7,000 people.

For Phase 2, in February 2019, involved implementation of filters to those who were
not accessible during Phase 1, as well as monitoring and evaluation of
all locations from our first visit. By this stage locals had started to leave
refugee camps and return to their villages to rebuild. Our goal
was to adjust what was previously set up in the camps and adapt it to
suit the changing circumstance and living situation of those in need.

Now as we plane for Phase 3 in July 2 we continue to
monitor, evaluate, retrain and service all areas previously visited much
like Phase 2. We will also continue to focus on those in further remote areas
providing access to clean water.

Lombok is an island loved by many travellers for its beautiful beaches,
legendary surf, captivating landscape and lovely people. Waves For
Water Australia has developed deep connections and collaborations with
local leaders who are working tirelessly to help their land and people
recover. We are committed to continued support and welcome yours.

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Lombok Earthquake Response

After launching our initial response to Hurricane Irma, we were cautiously standing by, watching Hurricane Maria’s rapid increase in power, elevating it from a Category 1 hurricane to a Category 5. With much discussion amongst our internal team, we collectively decided that the best course of action was for our teams to remain in St. Croix and Puerto Rico to ride out the storms — which would enable us to rapidly respond to the aftermath of Hurricane Maria and reach at-risk populations as soon as possible. 

Our teams fared well through the storm, but many of the islands that were impacted by the first hurricane were further devastated by the second. The countries most impacted by Hurricane Maria were Dominica, St. Croix, and Puerto Rico. However, that is not to say the neighboring islands did not feel similar power.

Jon Rose, Ben Bourgeois, Jimmy Wilson and W4W Haiti Country Director, Fritz Pierre-Louis, were on St. Croix during the storm. With both of their hotel rooms compromised - falling ceilings followed by flooding - the team spent the next day assessing damages and establishing a new base of operations. Similarly, Field Operations Director Rob McQueen and Otto Flores took refuge in San Juan, Puerto Rico. After a few close calls, they emerged safely and immediately began assessments the scope of the damage.

Many of us that come from a developed country such as the US, know these Caribbean islands as the incredibly beautiful vacation destinations they are – with sunshine, nice resorts, and wonderful local vibes. But what isn’t often thought about, are the little communities where a lot of the local people live, that work at all those resorts and tourist companies. We’ve seen them first hand and know the lack of proper infrastructure in many of them. This is not dissimilar to the dynamic during our response, a couple years back, to Hurricane Odile in Los Cabos, Mexico, where all the “Colonias” (interior villages that house almost 90% of the entire luxury resort workforce in the area) were hit hardest, because of their shanty structures and lack of proper development. Many of these communities are living well below the poverty line, and situated just a few miles away the massive luxury resorts its residents work in. The juxtaposition is nothing short of sobering.

We bring all this up because the devastation from the Caribbean Hurricanes is utterly massive in scale and there are needs everywhere. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the scale of it all, but from our experience it is best to pick one or two ways to help (in our case that is access to clean water), then target certain areas of need, while letting other groups do the same. So, in an effort to streamline, we will target our focus on these specific underserved local communities, that are so often overlooked. We have incredible local points of contact through the entire region and have already been getting good intel on where to start first.

Together with colleagues from the region, that have become friends over the years, we are launching an emergency response initiative to provide access to clean drinking water. 

Because we understand that the first few weeks are crucial in stemming the spread of waterborne diseases and life threatening dehydration, we plan to launch our response in three phases:

1. The first phase is designed to mitigate the immediate suffering of the most impacted families, by implementing portable water filtration systems in communities (both to shelters and residences still left standing) living at or below the poverty line. These are communities that already needed our program prior to any disaster, making them the least equipped to handle a catastrophe, such as Irma and Maria. We have seen this scenario many times in Haiti, most recently with Hurricane Matthew last year, and it is the little underserved “forgotten” communities that really feel the worst of what these events have to offer. 
2. After we have addressed the immediate need for clean water, phase two will serve to address breakdowns in water infrastructure through the creation of large and centrally-located water depots. These are big systems that can serve entire communities, rather than just one household.
3. The third phase will analyze data that has been compiled throughout the first two phases, allowing us to design and implement long-term mechanisms to change the way water is accessed for years to come – such as rainwater harvesting systems, borehole wells, and/or desalinization systems.

One of our long time advocates and trusted regional Caribbean Hurricane Relief team member, Ben Bourgeois, says, “I have experienced first hand how the Waves For Water organization goes about helping those in need with access to clean water. It is a great place to be able to give back to places that have given me so much throughout my career. I look forward to working on more projects with Waves For Water in the future. I know that Jon always has a solid plan. His experience and resources are key.” 

Together with our (first phase) local team, we at Waves For Water are humbly asking you for whatever support you can give so we can execute and scale the plan listed above. As always, we are grateful to all of you who have supported us through the years and are honored to be surrounded by a network that is as devoted to helping people, as we are.

Thank you, 

Jon Rose & the W4W Caribbean Hurricane Relief Team

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Caribbean Hurricane Relief Initiative

On the evening of September 1, 2017 Tropical Storm Lidia swept over Mexico’s Lower Baja Peninsula, causing devastating destruction to the region. The storm brought over a year’s worth of rain to the region in under a 24 hour period, which is half the amount of rain caused by Hurricane Harvey. The Los Cabos corridor and surrounding areas have suffered devastating flooding. After much work in Baja California, our hearts go out to those living and working in the area. Having already endured the effects of a Hurricane Odile in 2014, the inhabitants of this region had barely recovered from previous hardship before the onset of Tropical Storm Lidia.

Clean drinking water is an enduring issue in Baja California Sur, beginning long before Tropical Storm Lidia. This storm exacerbated an already-existing water issue. The most at-risk populations are those living within a housing community known locally as the Colonias. The Colonias suffered the greatest devastation from Tropical Storm Lidia, with residents already living under conditions of poverty and not being able to afford clean drinking water.

The Clean Water Corps launched a clean water initiative in 26 Colonias for the distribution of water filtration systems with the intent to bring some relief to families as they recovered from their losses. With the success of this program and the continued need in the region, we are committed to continued support in this still devastated region and welcome yours.


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Tropical Storm Lidia Response Initiative

Shine on Sierra Leone and Waves For Water launched an emergency response initiative in Sierra Leone following a catastrophic landslide in the early morning hours of August 14, 2017 in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The disaster killed over 1,000 people in the Regent District of the country's capital. With thousands subjected to the harsh conditions of cramped makeshift emergency camps without adequate essential supplies, W4W was able to implement over 200 water filtration systems. 

Still recovering from a decade-long civil war, the three-year Ebola crisis, and this disaster, Sierra Leone’s infrastructure and resources continue to be strained. We strive to build enduring capacity within our local partners, enabling them to continue to have an impact after we leave. With our network in place and our highly effective long-term program, we are looking to continue the important work of providing access to clean water in this in-need region and invite you to contribute. On behalf of everyone at Waves For Water and Shine On Sierra Leone, we thank you all for your ongoing support and encouragement. We could not do it without you.


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Sierra Leone // Flood Relief Initiative

An abnormal El Nino caused sudden and abnormal warming of the waters off the coast of Peru, leading to 10 times more rain in 2017 than average. From the capital, Lima, to the northern Peruvian regions, these devastating downpours destroyed crops, leveled bridges, and washed out roads, killing 72 people and leaving over 70,000 people homeless. The vast majority of people affected were the poor, including many who live in makeshift homes on floodplains that had been dry for 20 years. The dramatic change in weather severely damaged their infrastructure and compromised what little resources they had. 

Waves For Water launched a comprehensive clean water disaster relief initiative in response. Through working with a member of our Courier program and local partners, we reached 2,100 people in the first critical days, implementing our portable water filtration systems in the hardest hit areas. With a primary focus on impacting community centers and internally displaced persons (IDP) camps we were able to reach highly concentrated populations and maximized our impact. 

We are intimately aware that this disaster exacerbated a preexisting situation in many of the affected areas. With the capacity built with our local partners and our highly effective long-term program, we are looking to continue the important work of providing access to clean water in this in-need region and invite you to contribute. On behalf of everyone at Waves For Water, we thank you all for your ongoing support and encouragement. We could not do it without you.


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Peru // Flood Relief Initiative

For more than two weeks, Chile has been dealing with the worst fires in the country’s history. Fueled by a record-breaking heat wave, low humidity and high winds, over a million acres have burned from Santiago to Concepción. New fires ignite as fast as others are put out. More than a dozen cities have been turned to ash. An estimated 10,000 people have been displaced and now seek shelter in temporary settlements. Access to clean drinking water is a top priority, and Waves For Water is en route to assist however we can.

“Nobody can imagine what happened in Santa Olga,” said the Carlos Valenzuela, the mayor of the encompassing municipality of Constitución.  “What we have experienced here is literally like Dante’s Inferno. We were recovering after the last earthquake, but this tragedy has messed up everything.”

In response to this disaster, Waves For Water will initiate relief efforts in the most affected areas, focusing on implementing potable water stations in the temporary settlements and communities that offering refuge to the fire victims. Our team will work closely with Chilean organizations such as TOPO rescue, Desafio Levantamos Chile, Patagonia Chile and the Punta de Lobos foundation. Many of these teams have already been tirelessly working to battle the ever-spreading fires, and will provide crucial intelligence and resources to make a rapid impact in the hardest hit areas, and communities that have yet to receive aid.

Chile is a country that is accustomed to natural disasters — earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions — but in speaking with volunteers in the field, we’re learning that this disaster has been far worse than the other catastrophic events they’ve experienced in past years. And while this disaster has been overshadowed by a US-centric news cycle, it is a situation that needs our attention now. With many fires still not fully contained, the time to act is now.  To support our relief efforts in Chile please donate directly to the fund on this page. Lastly, for updates of our progress in the field, please check back with this page, periodically. 

Thank you all for your continued support and encouragement...

Sincerely,
W4W Chile Fire Relief Team

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Chile Fire Relief

Category 5 Hurricane Matthew hit Haiti on October 4, 2016. The southern coastal region was absolutely devastated with the entire region cut off from outside access. Jon Rose, W4W’s founder, met up with Fritz Pierre Louis, W4W Haiti Country Director, shortly after the hurricane hit. Below is Jon’s account of the situation:

“The main issue right now is access. It's all virtually impassable by land so cities there (such as Jeremie, Port Salut, etc) are almost completely isolated. That said, with the MINUSTAH (UN Haiti Mission) force already on the ground conducting relief and the helicopters that SOUTHCOM has pushed forward, the distribution of supplies to those areas will dramatically improve.

With very few structures left and more importantly entire food and water supplies compromised, the situation is as real as it gets. The survivors are completely at the mercy of air or sea relief operations as of now.

Much like with most of the other disasters we’ve responded to the needs in this first phase of relief are the same - water, food, shelter. This along with debris removal and obviously the rebuilding of structures in the long term.

It feels almost redundant and uninspiring to be writing again, about another disaster we’re responding to… But then I remember, this organization was born from a disaster – when we were caught directly in the middle of the 2009 earthquake in Padang, Sumatra. So, being that it is literally in our DNA, we feel a genuine responsibility to respond – every time. But it also goes beyond a feeling of responsibility… it is now the feeling of experience that really drives these decisions, and with that, the understanding that we can undoubtedly make a difference.

This experience I speak of... Well, Hurricane Matthew is the 16th disaster since we started W4W in 2009 and the 15th since the devastating quake that leveled Haiti in 2010. We’ve grown immensely over the last 7 years, taking note from each disaster experience and refining our program thereafter.

At this point we have a very tactical and strategic approach to implement our clean water program in almost any environment or condition, with a fully sustainable outcome. In addition, Haiti itself is the place that Waves For Water truly developed, and where we have done our largest scale of work. Which makes us incredibly well equipped (with very solid local teams and resources) to respond.

For this specific initiative we will be focused on mitigating the immediate suffering of the victims in the hardest hit areas, by providing access to the most essentially needed item to survive – clean water. Secondarily, but not any less important, will be our attention towards stopping a potentially devastating Cholera outbreak, in the weeks to come. We have worked on the front lines of the Cholera epidemic in Haiti for years and this type of disaster is exactly what can spark it up again.

In addition, because we already have such a great local team and network there we are also leveraging some of our US based partners and relationships to coordinate other urgently needed supplies and services (food, medical, etc) –making this a multi-layered relief program with an expanded mission set, beyond our primary focus of clean water.
Our initial approach is to personally strike areas of need, from intel that comes directly through our existing local networks. We will also be activating other groups and organizations with water filters systems and other essential supplies for them to implement throughout their various programs. This two pronged approach is what we did after the earthquake in Nepal and Typhoon Haiyan, in the Philippines. It helps to broaden our scope of work and simply, cover more ground. We can only do so much as one team, so if we can empower other trusted groups with the right knowledge and tools, we then have a small army covering many corners of the country at the same time.

For example, The Rotary Club is another group that are working there already and will serve as an implementing partner for this initiative… they have extensive networks and a trusted track record with relief in Haiti.

In terms of timeline – our local teams have been gathering intel and assessing the damage over the past couple days and I will be arriving there on Saturday with our international team. From there our strike plan will be carried out over the course of the coming weeks.
Lastly, two US based groups have generously stepped up to support the activation of this initiative, which frankly, is the only way it happens. So on behalf of the entire W4W team, I’d like to give a special shout out to the fine folks over at, dos Gardenias (CA based swimwear brand), and The Waterbearers (clean water based social activism campaign)!
Thank you and stay tuned for more updates from the field…”

We are committed to continuing work in Haiti and invite you to support our ongoing efforts at reaching as many Haitians in need of clean water as possible. Thank you.


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Hurricane Matthew Relief Initiative

As many of you are probably aware by now, a 7.8 earthquake rocked Ecuador Saturday evening, buckling overpasses, causing houses to collapse, and knocking out power in Guayaquil, Ecuador's most populous city. As of now there are 300 fatalities and over 2500 injured. These numbers will no doubt rise as search and rescue teams are able to gain further access into some of the hardest hit areas cut off by road closures and landslides.  

Waves For Water, at this point, is known for being highly experienced in disaster response, earning that credibility by working all of the major disasters over the past seven years - Haiti, Philippines, Japan, Nepal, Indonesia, Mexico, to name a few… and though these things happen in different countries, with a whole range of nuances (political, cultural, religious, etc), one thing always remains - the basic needs of every living human being on the planet: water, food, and shelter. 

That said, in response to this calamity, I am taking this opportunity to formally announce that we are launching a full scale clean-water disaster relief initiative. Following our game plan from from similar previous emergency response programs, we are taking a two pronged approach: 

1. Addressing the immediate suffering of quake victims in the hardest hit areas. 
2. Creating a lasting local infrastructure that will work on long-term development and preparedness programs for years to come.

In reference to number 2, so many of the places that these calamities hit are areas that have needed our clean-water programs long before the disaster strikes. But sadly, don’t have the attention from the global community. So as devastating as these event are, the upside (if there is one) is that people who otherwise would never have been be seen, or served, now are receiving help. That's what we do well: reach the unreached. I'm sad that it too often comes at the cost of human life and unimaginable suffering, but it does come, and in the long run the place will strengthen as a result. 

All of the disasters we have responded to over the past 7 years, in over 10 countries, are still active for us and have developed into very healthy, locally managed, sustainable initiatives. None of these would be where they are without the first response happening. 

We have a good local network already in Ecuador along with our international team arriving in a couple days. We also have good ties into the US DOD (Department of Defense) units stationed there, as we work with similar units in other countries throughout the region. Together, as a unified group, we will be striking into the hardest hit areas areas to implement our portable water filtration systems with primary focus on community centers and IDP camps. Placing the filter systems in higher concentrated populations such as these, we are able to maximize our impact. 

Then we will focus on individual households in the coming weeks. The goal is obviously to provide everyone with access to clean water. The road to recovery for Ecuador will be a marathon, not a sprint, so we are looking at both the immediate problem and the pre-existing condition of water-borne disease - and we are ready to go the distance to carefully, and tactically, produce the highest impact and greatest benefit.

One thing I would like to point out is that Ecuador sits comfortably in what we all know to be the 'Ring of Fire', a highly seismically active area. So beyond the support and infrastructure we will provide in this calamity, we are very much looking at this as an opportunity to build a regional team that will be our project leaders in disaster preparedness and response for the future calamities sure to come.

Case in point, our local team in Nepal (that was developed after their quake) is now leading our programs in India, Myanmar, and Thailand. I really believe that this strategy and type of growth is one of the major keys to a successful international development program - people in a certain region who have gone through the program themselves, taking all of their knowledge and expertise, and paying it forward to neighboring countries in need. This is true empowerment, and I expect our efforts in Ecuador to follow this model, and produce same results.

We will be sending live updates from the field, but also please feel free to help us generate some momentum and support by sharing this letter, if you feel so inclined. 

Closing thought: These events have a way of polarizing things for everyone involved - bringing to the surface what’s really important and powerfully disappearing what isn’t. No matter how many of these I’ve been through, I'm still reminded that everything, for all of us, is basically fine until it isn’t. Life goes on quite normally for most of us and then boom, things can be forever changed in a matter of seconds. Our impermanence is humbling to say the least. 

To quote one of my favorite lines from Jack London.

> “The function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.” If nothing else, let this letter be a reminder of that...

On behalf of the entire W4W team, thank you all for your ongoing support an encouragement of our work. It simply doesn’t happen with out you.


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