After a 20-year career with the American Chemistry Council (ACC), Mary Ostrowski is today a WEFTA volunteer, not by working on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) projects on the ground in the Americas or Africa, but by writing about those projects. Now retired and living with her husband in Maryland, Mary works with WEFTA Administrative Director, Carla Conner, to promote the organization online and on social media.
From the World of Chemistry
Mary was introduced to WEFTA while working on disinfection issues at ACC. “The use of chlorine-based disinfectants to reduce the burden of waterborne disease is literally a public health triumph,” she states. “Chlorine-based disinfectants are the only water disinfectants that keep on working after they are added to water, a property that helps keep drinking water safe as it travels through conveyance pipes or sits in storage. And whereas the developed world has benefited from water purified with chlorine disinfectants for well over a century, there are millions of people in the developing world who still live with the scourge of waterborne illnesses.”
The Value of Partnerships
WEFTA thrives on partnerships, a fact that Mary believes enhances the sustainability of each project undertaken. Not only does WEFTA partner with other WASH organizations familiar with local communities, their governance, and resources, but it actively involves the people benefiting from each project. This can range from residents contributing financial support, to assisting with construction, to training for ongoing operations and maintenance.
Safe Water Brings Joy
Mary takes satisfaction in highlighting the work that WEFTA volunteers accomplish to the great benefit of communities around the world. She notes, “Because of WEFTA’s WASH projects, more and more people can rise from their beds in the morning and pursue education and employment opportunities unburdened by waterborne illness. In many cases, women and girls have the task of procuring water for the family, often from unsafe sources. This activity forces them to sacrifice precious hours that otherwise might be spent on productive work and study. I have daughters and granddaughters, and I cannot imagine how different their lives would be under those circumstances.”
As a “keyboard volunteer,” Mary is touched and motivated by photos sent from WEFTA volunteers on the ground showing joy on the faces of people accessing safe water for the first time. She admires WEFTA’s mission and is honored to help communicate it to the world.