In coastal Vietnam, many water sources are highly contaminated by dangerous industrial waste. Local people have no choice but to purchase bottled water or drink the contaminated water and risk becoming sick with life-threatening diseases.

With your support, our partner the Jesuit Province in Vietnam is installing 40 RO UV water stations (‘Reverse Osmosis Ultraviolet’) that sterilise and filter contaminated water, across four coastal districts in Vietnam.

“The quality of life of local people will be better thanks to these hygienic water stations,” said Fr Peter Than Van Chat, local parish priest.

Before a water station was installed in her village, Mrs Loan, a mother of five children and a widow from the coastal village Lang Khe, had to purchase bottled water to use for drinking and cooking. This cost her $2 per day – a large portion of her total daily income of $11 per day.

The cost of buying water was compounding Mrs Loan’s poverty.

Thanks to your financial support, that changed when a new water station was installed in her village, providing Mrs Loan with access to safe, clean water which she collects twice per week.

Now she pays only 50 cents for this water, as part of her community contribution towards the ongoing operation of the filter system.

“From this water station, the union of our community as both Catholics and non-Catholics is strengthened.”

Pamplona poem by Fr Andy Bullen SJ

The Ignatian Year celebrates the 500th anniversary of St Ignatius’ cannonball wound at the battle of Pamplona and his subsequent conversion to commit himself to God’s work. In addition, the 31 July is the feast day of St Ignatius and we invite you to reflect on Fr Andy Bullen’s SJ poem Pamplona.

Click here to read Pamplona.