A Reid Harvey on sun 6 aug 00
Dear Clayartists,
This is Reid Harvey, newly relocated from Cote d'Ivoire to Bangladesh.
My family has now been here almost two weeks and we are settling in,
expecting a minimum two year stay. I expect my work here to be in
getting people producing the dry pressed, earthenware water purifiers
that we developed in Africa.
There is a crying need here in Bangladesh for any kind of low cost water
purifer. As in Africa the water born illnesses are the leading cause of
death. Allow me the grim statistic, that every twenty seconds someone,
somewhere in the world dies from some water-born illness. Water born
illness includes primarily dyhydration due to dysentery, but also
typhoid, cholera and others. Many on Clayart may know about the
earthenware water purifiers being promoted by Potters for Peace in
Nicaragua. The purifer that we developed in Africa is of a much smaller
size that PFP's. Recent tests for our purifer indicated 99% removal of
particles of all sizes, down to 1.0 micron. This gives us great hope
that a similar performance can be expected in micro-biological testing,
with results expected within a few weeks.
I would be interested in any observations from Clayart folks as to our
web site. It needs to be updated reflecting our relocation, still
entitled Ceramiques d'Afrique. Anyone having the time could click on the
link at the header and take a tour of our production line, four links
with sixteen pictures, explaining the production. This shows a new
technique for dry pressing, and I would imagine a similar methodology
would be appropriate in forming other kinds of ceramics, not only water
purifiers.
Best to all,
Reid Harvey
Dhaka, Bangladesh
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