As the people of Haiti return to the remains of their homes, the emergency need continues for basics such as clean water.
While serving as a Water With Blessings intern, Janani Ravikumar helped us develop the story mapping system for tracking our efforts.
Story-Mapping: Using Images and Data to Guide Our Efforts Around the World

With saving lives as our priority, we are always working to make the most of the contributions we receive. Part of that effort is using the latest technology to analyze our effectiveness and pinpoint where we need to move next. To do this, we use mapping software known as geographic information systems (GIS).

But we never want to think in terms of numbers. Our focus is on the Water Women and God’s thirsty children for whom they provide clean water.

Janani Ravikumar has helped us do just that, through a process called ‘story-mapping.’ Through her efforts, we have been able to take the GIS information such as the number of Water Women and the number of filters, and visualize our work in Haiti.

“It’s a unique way of explaining what’s going on,” Janani said. “We can use it as both an introduction to the type of work that’s happening, and the specific challenges we’re facing – for example in a place like La Gonâve. Then we can show how Water With Blessings is responding.”

Janani came to our attention through The CONNECT Fellows program at the University of Texas (Austin), where she was working on her Master’s in Information Studies in the LBJ School of Public Affairs.

“They assign students with specific technical skills, matching them with a nonprofit organization that is looking for assistance pertinent to those skills,” she said. “My work was in data-collection methods, data visualizations, and mapping.
Above is one of the pages from the story mapping Janani helped us design, indicating the increase in the numbers of villages Water With Blessings is serving on the island of La Gonâve, Haiti.

“I also took a class on Haiti from a professor who is Haitian-American and learned how after the last earthquake nonprofit groups were helpful or not helpful. One of the worst things to happen is that all these organizations come in to help, but not in either sustainable or respectful ways.

“What impressed me was the lengths that Water With Blessings goes to work with people in the areas where they live. There is a commitment to making sure the people are involved in the process, in the decision-making. Then there is the time and effort spent training to give people access to clean water.”

Through Janani’s efforts, we will be able to continue doing those things, and make your investment provide even more clean water as we move forward. We can link donors to specific Water Women so they can see how they are providing clean water to their own and other families.
We Will Be Talking About Our Efforts in Haiti On This Week’s Coffee Chat
We hope you are having a restful and healthy Labor Day Weekend. As Summer winds to its unofficial end, we pray that all in our Community for Mission, and your families, are well.

Coffee Chat will be back on track this week, as we re-focus on the critical conditions in Haiti. So much has happened recently, that we are in danger of being distracted from the emergency at our doorstep.

Sr. Larraine will provide an update on the situation and how we continue, with your help, to respond. So please have your computer or other device fired up this Friday at Noon Eastern, and join us.
Some special notes for our Louisville-area Community...
The Jeffersontown Gaslight Festival is the weekend of September 17-19. Please plan to support this wonderful event.

While you’re there, please visit our booth. We will be passing out a FREE delicious treat: DeeBee’s Organic Freezies. To read more about these generous folks and their products, you can visit: deebeesorganics.com

Also, a message to our Advocates: we need helpers to staff the booth during the weekend. If you can share a shift with our staff members and other advocates, please click the link below to sign up. And thank you in advance for your generosity.
Coming up on Friday, September 17, it’s Give for Good Louisville

It will be a day of focused philanthropy with matching gifts to double your donation and prize money to encourage more support for Water With Blessings and other Louisville-area nonprofits.

This year our GFG Louisville campaign will focus on providing more water filters to equip more Water Women in Haiti following the devastating back-to-back earthquake and hurricane.

Give for Good Louisville begins at midnight and ends at 11:59 pm on Sept. 17. It is open for donations from Kentuckiana residents, as well as donors from all the other 50 states, who choose to give to Water With Blessings and other nonprofits that do good work in our local community and around the world.

You can visit www.giveforgoodlouisville.org and type in Water With Blessings to view our profile. But if you’re interested in participating, please wait until September 17 – that is when you will receive the maximum benefit for your investment in clean water for God’s thirsty children. We thank you in advance!
Join Us Friday Morning For Great Coffee and CinnaBourbon Hugs

Enjoy the best cinnamon rolls in Louisville, along with coffee from Honduras, at Water With Blessings (1902 Campus Place, Suite 11). A portion of the proceeds helps fund Water Women around the world.

Made with real butter, aged bourbon, delicious cinnamon (and a few secret ingredients), these rolls will become a favorite in your home or office. Hope you can stop by to try them!
 
Warm, gooey cinnamon rolls, made by Captain’s Cabin in Louisville, will be available for pick up every Friday
from 8am-9:30am at the Water With Blessings office.

Please try to order before noon on Thursday. You can click on the button nearby to make sure you can take home your favorite flavor: original, pecan, or bacon. And yes, they can be frozen, but they probably won’t make it to the freezer!

CinnaBourbon Hugs are delicious, and the sweetest way to support WWB.
We believe every child should be drinking clean water. Are you with us?
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