Safe drinking water, something we take for granted, and something so vital, is a major problem for millions of people. Bangladesh, one of the world's poorest countries, also faces one of the world's most serious water issues. Built over the flood plains of four major rivers, and with most of the country just a few feet above sea level, Bangladesh has plenty of water. Yet safe drinking water has long been a problem and recent arsenic contamination of the drinking water has created extremely serious health risks. 

"Bangladesh is grappling with the largest mass poisoning of a population in history . . . the scale of this environmental disaster is greater than any seen before," says Allan H Smith, professor of epidemiology at the University of California at Berkeley. "It is beyond the accidents at Bhopal, India, in 1984, and Chernobyl, Ukraine, in 1986,"

Arsenic poisoning can result in skin lesions, cancers of the bladder, kidney, lung and skin, neurological effects, cardiovascular and pulmonary disease, diabetes, and death. It is estimated that up to 35 million people in Bangladesh are exposed to drinking water with more than 50 ppb (parts per billion) arsenic concentration — over five times the level that is thought to be safe — and that up to 75 million people, or more than half the population, are at risk. According to the World Health Organization, the crisis in Bangladesh now constitutes the largest mass poisoning in history! 

Dipankar Chakraborti, director of environmental studies at Jadavpur University in Calcutta, identifies the village of Seladi as "in all probability the most arsenic-contaminated village in the world." Almost all of the tube wells there are poisoned, a quarter of them at over 1000 ppb, the worst at almost 4000 ppb, or 400 times the safe limit.

But how did this happen? Since Bangladesh is part of an alluvial plain, arsenic washes down from the hills above and accumulates in high concentrations, where groundwater gradually picks it up. Ironically, it was the millions of wells dug to provide "safe" drinking water that first brought the problem upon the people. While very successful in reducing disease caused by bacterial infection (a major immediate health risk before), well water brought its own long-term problems. Up to half of the country's wells are now poisoned. Testing the wells, identifying them (poisoned wells are painted red), and teaching the local population to avoid water from those wells is a monumental task.

. . .The People of Bangladesh Suffer Each Day

Not only does arsenic poisoning often lead to death, but it can also create crushing social stigmas, as people with skin lesions can be shunned and treated as if they have a contagious disease. "Nobody wants to come in contact with them," says Jinat Nahar Jitu of Dhaka Community Hospital. "They are barred from coming out of their homes or even from using water from clean wells." Women are particularly vulnerable, and are often divorced, while children can be forced out of school.

Take the story of Pinjra Begam, 15 years old, who began to develop skin lesions shortly after her marriage in 1988. The blotches turned to ugly sores that became gangrenous. Her husband left her. Cancer took hold and spread to her lungs. She finally died in her home village of Miapur Paschim Para in May 2000, at the age of 26. She left three children, aged seven, five and one. What will their fate be? (http://www.unesco.org/courier/2001_01/uk/planet.htm)

Soon after the arsenic problem was identified in 1993, Bangladesh began an Arsenic Mitigation Project, with the aims of identifying contaminated wells, educating the public to recognize the symptoms, and helping to secure safe sources of drinking water, which is often not readily available. As of 2007, only 50 percent of the nation's wells had been tested (Unicef), and the long latency period of arsenicosis, more than 20 years, means the problem won't disappear soon. There is much work to be done, but there is hope. While there is no known cure, symptoms are usually reversible if people stop drinking arsenic contaminated water.

Awareness has risen dramatically, and innovative filtering systems are opening new sources (filtered surface water) for drinking. Bangladesh Rural Improvement Foundation is one of many groups working to identify poisoned wells, help change behavior, and provide reliable, safe alternatives to the people of Bangladesh.

The story of BRIF began in November 1984, when its founder and current Executive Director, Shah Ahsan Habib, was only 15 years old. Habib was approached by a poor neighbor, Mr. Azgar Ali, who requested money to help him get through some difficult times. The request made Habib think about how local people were plagued by the same problems every year, particularly during the "lean period" (Bangla Monga) when no agricultural work was available, and he began to question how these problems could be solved.

Habib discussed the issues with community members who were also concerned about local poverty, and by the end of the year they had formed an organization called Akata Shongho (United Organization). Their idea was that instead of simply giving money to people for their immediate needs, they would establish a savings group of poor people in the local community, who would work together to invest the money in a sustainable solution.

Initially, they began working with a savings group of seven members, but gradually the membership and number of savings groups grew, and the organization began to find other ways to assist the development of poor, disadvantaged and marginalized people. Eventually, the organization he founded became the Bangladesh Rural Improvement Foundation (BRIF), and began working towards the vision of an economically stable Bangladesh. Central to BRIF's mission is the goal of making their work sustainable, emphasizing the passing on of skills and knowledge to rural people so that they become self-reliant. The interventions are designed to run only for a set period of time, during which their staff train the beneficiaries and work closely with the community to pass on the necessary skills and knowledge. The aim is that once the project comes to an end, the community will be able to continue the work themselves and no longer need outside support.

In just two decades BRIF has grown from a small savings group in one community to a regional organization that tackles a number of specific problems in villages throughout Northwest Bangladesh. Their projects address every hurdle the population faces in an attempt to raise their standard of living. 

The scope of programs supported by BRIF is truly astounding. Many thousands of lives have been changed because a teenage boy saw the suffering of his neighbors and decided to try to make a difference. BRIF is limited only by lack of funding, not by lack of initiative or ideas. We at World Neighborhood Fund want to help. We ask you to support BRIF through WNF or with direct donations so that they may continue to implement sustainable change in Bangladesh.

President's Message:

At World Neighborhood Fund, our three central purposes are to educate, inspire, and aid: to help educate people about the living conditions of the less fortunate across the globe, to inspire people to realize that individuals can make a considerable and crucial difference in the lives of others, and to aid select projects through monetary contributions and increased exposure. The charity we'll be supporting for the next four months, Bangladesh Rural Improvement Fund, perfectly captures the spirit of what we're trying to accomplish.

Bangladesh is simultaneously one of the world's most populated and poorest countries. Along with the struggles of everyday life for proper education, nutrition, and health care, millions of Bangladeshis face a sinister long-term threat that has been described as worst than Bhopal and Chernobyl - severe poisoning due to extremely high arsenic levels in their groundwater. This tragedy, which receives little attention, deserves to be much more widely known. BRIF is a truly remarkable organization that is working in numerous ways to help the people of Bangladesh on this and many other areas of need. They're also a shining example of how small efforts by just a few individuals can often lead to great changes in many peoples lives. BRIF was started by a young man when he was just 15 years old, when a neighbor asked him to help. It has grown to help many thousands of Bangladeshi's achieve longer, healthier, happier lives. In our modest way, we hope to help them achieve much more. 

Closer to home, a friend of ours, Betty Gadient, recently heard about our work and started a Facebook group on World Neighborhood Fund. In just a few days, it's added 38 members and raised the number of daily visitors to our site by a third (and growing!). Betty's thoughtful use of a couple hours of her time will undoubtedly lead to more funds raised through our shopping and search commissions, and in a country where $30 can put a child through school for a year, or $40 can provide a tube-well for clean water for a small village, she's definitely improve lives. I find it inspiring. 

So please continue to visit WNF for searches or shopping online. Think of ways that you can help spread to the word by donating an hour or two of your time. Do you know a business that regularly orders supplies online? A school or work group that might be interested in WNF? Please let them know about us. And let us know if you have an idea about how we can improve, a charity you'd like to support, or time you would like to contribute. With your help, we'll continue to grow and to show that making a small effort can make a real difference!

—Troy Haines, WNF President

• $20 can provide seeds and training to cultivate a vegetable garden.
• $30 can put a child through one year of school.
• $30 can provide a sanitary latrine to improve hygiene and reduce diseases.
• $40 can provide a tube-well and safe water supply for a small village.
• $42 can provide a disabled person with a caretaker for a whole year.
• $42 can purchase a wheelchair or other such device for a disabled person.