Francois is someone that reminds us each time that he is invited to a conference, that we contract 80% of our own diseases through water. With Chay Lo, he created an association in Cambodia to allot two lieters of purified water per day, per capita to isolated rural areas. The action taken by 1001 Fountains is often discussed notably at conferences around the world about the processing of water. The solution of 1001 Fountains is a good investment, and much cheaper in expense, but results in different way to connect with the isolated zones on water.

To provide drinking water for a village, it costs around 15,000 euros. 70% of this is also for the machines and materials… There are 2,000 processing units and cylinders needed for each family. We reach 3,000 to 4,000 people with such a facility and when it is thought about, it’s not that exspensive to provide drinking water in a safe manner and improving the health of the people… In an orphanage for example, we went from 13 to 15 cases of typhoid fever per year, to an astounding 0 cases.

When we look at this penetration rate, it is also very satisfactory. In the first village in which we intervened in 2005, we saw that over 60% of the population uses safe drinking water instead of a pond. Our objective is to cover 40% of villagers after 8 years… We just understand that the reeducation process is very long. In Cambodia there are 15 million in habitants of which 10 million live in the rural areas, and 7 million do not have access to water. With 35 million euros, we could finally regulate and elimniate the water-related sicknesses and problems of Cambodia.

- François Jaquenoud, 1001 Fontaines

But that’s not all! Be sure to check out a video by Yann Artus-Bertrand, which presented 1001 Fontaines as a solution in his video: “The Thirsty Earth“.