Unfortunately, we also received some very sad news during our project trip. Our long-standing project partner and founder of the Indian sponsoring organization AGAMEE passed away on 31.03.2024 after a long illness. Please read a personal tribute to his life and his commitment to a fairer world here.
This year, we visited our dedicated project partners in India and Nepal. We found out about current projects and listened to what is needed in the future. As both countries are constantly developing, the opinion of our local partners is very valuable and important. Despite all the improvements, there is still a considerable need to support disadvantaged population groups.
There are many wells in Bangladesh, but most shallow wells are contaminated with arsenic and microbial contamination. For this reason, deep wells are increasingly being built in central locations and used by larger communities. However, deep wells with hand-operated swivel pumps require a lot of maintenance and any well can break down over time. We had four broken wells repaired and cleaned very successfully in 2023.
The first 20 women in Chitwan have now completed their tailoring training. The project was such a great success that the United Serve Society, our partner association in Nepal, is continuing the project with a further 30 women at a new location. Here we show you current photos of the tailors from the first course.
In the rural regions of Nepal, such as the region of Chitwan, young women have few prospects other than being married off abroad. In order to provide more equal opportunities, we have launched a tailoring course together with the Nepalese United Serve Society. This course has been very well received - you can find more information about this project here.
The Info letter 2023 is here! Our members, donors and anyone who is interested will receive this by post from us. You can also access it online here. Have fun reading!
Through the interdisciplinary project SWAPNO, AGAPE e.V. was equipped with a small microbiological laboratory in Bangladesh. The TRAWAS box was developed in Hamburg to test the water quality in crisis areas. In Bangladesh, microbial contamination of drinking water is a common cause of disease, especially among children.
Including the one at Dadpur school, AGAPE e.V. has now built six small waterworks in Bangladesh. We set up these waterworks at central locations such as a school or a marketplace. A system of water pipes runs from there, providing access to clean water in several places.
After a long Corona break, we were finally able to go back to Bangladesh this year and see how our projects are going and what is needed. Here you can learn more about the construction of two wells in Korgaon and Sherpur.
The first relief supplies have arrived in Ukraine! The two initiators of the project, Hans-Peter Meyer and Alexander Varychev have documented the delivery of the donations as well as the trip to the Polish-Ukrainian border in detail for us.
Many thanks to both of them for their tireless efforts!
Our project area near Nabiganj, in northeastern Bangladesh, is particularly affected by arsenic contamination. Especially the shallower parts of the aquifer are heavily contaminated with arsenic. In some cases, there are already deep wells in the villages from which much better groundwater can be extracted. These deep wells are very often drilled to depths of 100 to 300 m because there is insufficient knowledge of the subsurface conditions. By evaluating data from an area-wide sampling, the University of Heidelberg has determined that arsenic-free water already exists at much shallower depths. This is due to the presence of clay layers in the subsurface that prevent the arsenic from shifting vertically from above to greater depths. Of course, these clay layers must be connected over a larger area to have such a separating effect.
There is a simple method to examine the subsurface for such clay layers....
In April, we submitted an application to the German Alliance for Global Health Research (GLOHRA) together with the Geological Institute of Heidelberg University (GEOW) and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). In this project, which is funded with a six-digit sum, our water filters and the innovative arsenic removal by electrocoagulation are to be established at one of our sites in Bangladesh and optimized for series production.
Have you been keeping your fingers crossed for us? The decision is here....!
On 26. of May 2021 we asked here and in the Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung for donations for Corona Relief for Asia. We received a generous donation in kind of very high quality cloth masks and 1500€ in monetary donations and more are still coming in. Thank you very much for this!
We have forwarded all of these supplies and donations directly to Bangaldesh, India and Nepal. Today we have received feedback from Nepal. There Bishnu Parajuli, our longtime local partner, is distributing masks and hygiene items in slums as well as to needy institutions. Here is more about what he tells us from there.
Dear members and supporters, we are receiving urgent requests from India and Nepal for monetary donations. The people there are desperate, there is a lack of everything. We can help, with masks, hygiene articles and food. A relief package with high quality cloth masks has already arrived there after a long journey. Money shipments are on the way and will be retrieved as soon as the strict lockdown is over.
Please support these people with a donation.[
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Through our volunteer cooperation partners, the money will reach where it is needed without deduction.
In April, we submitted an application to the German Alliance for Global Health Research (GLOHRA) together with the Geological Institute of Heidelberg University (GEOW) and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). In this project, which is granting a six-figure sum, our water filters and innovative arsenic removal by electrocoagulation are to be established at one of our sites in Bangladesh and optimized for series production.
Keep your fingers crossed for us - the decision is already in June!
In cooperation with the University of Heidelberg, we optimized a commercially available household filter so that it removes arsenic very safely and reliably. After a successful test run with just a few filters, we have now distributed a further 100 filters in May 2020 to families affected by very high levels of arsenic in their well water. Read here how the families like the filters...
In Germany, the corona pandemic may be largely over - in Bangladesh it is only just beginning. Thanks to our local sponsorship we can pass on your donations directly. See for yourself...
AGAPE Bangladesh was able to use the donations from Germany to equip a hospital with masks and other urgently needed hygiene items. Respiratory masks and food were also distributed to the suffering population. Many thanks to the generous donors!
AGAPE e.V. is also active in Germany. We would also like to make a contribution for you in these times - therefore some of our members sew respirators on request.
The annual general meeting of the members is cancelled. We will inform members and sponsors about a new date in written form.
We also try to bring fast help to Bangladesh. Corona endangers the existence of the people and leaves behind poverty and hunger. Please help us to support these people.
At the Sholop, Boalia and Dadpur sites, existing deep wells of AGAPE e.V. or of the school were fitted with pipes. This enabled the area of water supply to be considerably increased.
In 2019 AGAPE e.V. drilled another deep well at the market place in Goaljani. From 2020, this well will supply a nearby small hospital with drinking water.
Many wells in Bangladesh supply water that is not suitable for drinking. It contains harmful amounts of arsenic but also manganese and phosphate. Originally, people drank from the surface waters, which, however, are highly microbially contaminated. In order to provide people with clean drinking water, AGAPE 2015 installed SIDKO filters at central locations such as market places (Maulvi Bazaar, Lahiri Mohonpur Bazaar), hospitals (Ullapara), schools and train stations (Sholop), through which the arsenic is removed by adsorption. Some of the 2015 installed SIDKO filters require urgent maintenance.
At the villages Sholop, Boalia and Dadpur, existing deep wells drilled by AGAPE e.V. or other well owners were fitted with pipelines. This has considerably improved the efficiency of the water supply. At the locations, 4 schools with a total of more than 1,000 pupils as well as several markets and restaurants are now supplied with running and clean water. This significantly improves the hygiene and health of the people. Visible results can be achieved with little effort.
A yoghurt factory now has running water. The hygienic conditions have visibly improved.
Many wells in Bangladesh supply water that is not suitable for drinking. It contains harmful amounts of arsenic but also manganese and phosphate. Originally, people drank from the surface waters, which, however, are highly microbially contaminated. In order to provide people with clean drinking water, AGAPE 2015 installed SIDKO filters at central locations such as market places (Maulvi Bazaar, Lahiri Mohonpur Bazaar), hospitals (Ullapara), schools and train stations (Sholop), through which the arsenic is removed by adsorption.
