I turned 19 that summer and Uganda [Music]
[Music]
[Music] so I the chance to work for a consulting
so I the chance to work for a consulting
so I the chance to work for a consulting firm after graduation and make lots of
firm after graduation and make lots of
firm after graduation and make lots of money
I came to Uganda in 2010 to teach at an
I came to Uganda in 2010 to teach at an all-girls Academy and I was living with
all-girls Academy and I was living with
all-girls Academy and I was living with the host family there getting sick all
the host family there getting sick all
the host family there getting sick all the time because they were drinking
the time because they were drinking
the time because they were drinking dirty water I was getting sick all the
dirty water I was getting sick all the
dirty water I was getting sick all the time too and I think that was actually
time too and I think that was actually
time too and I think that was actually kind of the aha moment
kind of the aha moment
kind of the aha moment [Music]
10,000 people died in Uganda every year
10,000 people died in Uganda every year drinking dirty water
drinking dirty water
drinking dirty water [Music]
[Music]
[Music] diarrheal diseases remain the second
diarrheal diseases remain the second
diarrheal diseases remain the second leading cause of death for children
leading cause of death for children
leading cause of death for children under the age of five access to clean
under the age of five access to clean
under the age of five access to clean drinking water is a basic human right
drinking water is a basic human right
drinking water is a basic human right and it seems stupid to not have a
and it seems stupid to not have a
and it seems stupid to not have a solution for it I had an engineering
solution for it I had an engineering
solution for it I had an engineering background and I thought given the
background and I thought given the
background and I thought given the abundance of clay ceramic water filters
abundance of clay ceramic water filters
abundance of clay ceramic water filters are a great fit for Uganda you take
are a great fit for Uganda you take
are a great fit for Uganda you take sawdust clay and then you grind them
sawdust clay and then you grind them
sawdust clay and then you grind them into really small pieces add water and
into really small pieces add water and
into really small pieces add water and you get this mass
you get this mass
you get this mass then we just press it using a mold and
then we just press it using a mold and
then we just press it using a mold and then they are put into the kiln fired up
then they are put into the kiln fired up
then they are put into the kiln fired up till 900 degrees and the Saudis combust
till 900 degrees and the Saudis combust
till 900 degrees and the Saudis combust leaving behind microscopic pores it’s a
leaving behind microscopic pores it’s a
leaving behind microscopic pores it’s a really simple process that uses physical
really simple process that uses physical
really simple process that uses physical filtration to allow bacteria to stay up
filtration to allow bacteria to stay up
filtration to allow bacteria to stay up top and the water to go down
top and the water to go down
top and the water to go down I took the design and I approached a
I took the design and I approached a
I took the design and I approached a bunch of local organizations and every
bunch of local organizations and every
bunch of local organizations and every single one of them Terry down and so
single one of them Terry down and so
single one of them Terry down and so then I was like alright well no one’s
then I was like alright well no one’s
then I was like alright well no one’s gonna do it then I’m gonna do it thank
gonna do it then I’m gonna do it thank
gonna do it then I’m gonna do it thank you
you
you hi everyone I’m Kathy I’m John we
hi everyone I’m Kathy I’m John we
hi everyone I’m Kathy I’m John we started out in the middle of nowhere in
started out in the middle of nowhere in
started out in the middle of nowhere in eastern Uganda
eastern Uganda
eastern Uganda living with no running water dirt floors
living with no running water dirt floors
living with no running water dirt floors I got bin by rat once it was the
I got bin by rat once it was the
I got bin by rat once it was the constant trouble try to figure out
constant trouble try to figure out
constant trouble try to figure out whether or not this is actually gonna
whether or not this is actually gonna
whether or not this is actually gonna work and you start asking like why am I
work and you start asking like why am I
work and you start asking like why am I here it took three of us the entire day
here it took three of us the entire day
here it took three of us the entire day just to make ten filters at our new site
just to make ten filters at our new site
just to make ten filters at our new site we can make 10,000 filters a month
we can make 10,000 filters a month
we can make 10,000 filters a month you’re not just impacting the 25 people
you’re not just impacting the 25 people
you’re not just impacting the 25 people who are making the filters you have to
who are making the filters you have to
who are making the filters you have to think about where we get our clay from
think about where we get our clay from
think about where we get our clay from where we get our other raw materials
where we get our other raw materials
where we get our other raw materials from because we do it locally is
from because we do it locally is
from because we do it locally is impacted by the work that we’re doing
we have provided a hundred thousand
we have provided a hundred thousand people with access to clean drinking
people with access to clean drinking
people with access to clean drinking water there’s still much more to do I
water there’s still much more to do I
water there’s still much more to do I want to filter in every single household
want to filter in every single household
want to filter in every single household in Uganda I think in the next couple of
in Uganda I think in the next couple of
in Uganda I think in the next couple of months I can go to school while our team
months I can go to school while our team
months I can go to school while our team continues to grow it’s important for me
continues to grow it’s important for me
continues to grow it’s important for me to leave because I want to be able to go
to leave because I want to be able to go
to leave because I want to be able to go out and try something new in pop or
out and try something new in pop or
out and try something new in pop or lives but I want to see where that
lives but I want to see where that
lives but I want to see where that potential leads me I wonder what I can
potential leads me I wonder what I can
potential leads me I wonder what I can do
do
do [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] you
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