Clean water for hundreds of villagers in Cambodia

World Travel Company Abercrombie & Kent Supports Trailblazer's Well Drilling and Water Filter Delivery Activities

In terms of staff and finances, most of Trailblazer Foundation's resources are devoted to our Health program, which focuses on providing access to abundant, clean water through the distribution of wells and water filters, and better sanitation through the construction of latrines.

This work ties into a worldwide health strategy known as WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), to improve health, life expectancy, student learning, and other benefits in developing countries.

Within this context, Trailblazer is best known for our efforts to drilling new wells and provide water filters to rural families and villages. Each year we set out to drill and deliver more wells and water filters than the year before (66 wells and 420 water filters in 2015). We expect to reach that goal with the support of an important, and notable, partner - Abercrombie and Kent Philanthropy.

As you may know, Abercrombie and Kent (A&K) is one of the world's foremost luxury travel company, and has been offering adventure and luxury vacations throughout the world since 1962. Working through Abercrombie & Kent's global offices, Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy (AKP) is dedicated to preserving natural habitats, protecting wildlife and promoting the welfare of indigenous communities throughout the world.

Late last year, Trailblazer signed an agreement with AKP to deliver a new well and water filter to forty-five families in the Siem Reap area - one of A&K's travel destinations. We are both pleased and honored to be working with AKP, both because of their commitment to the places they visit, and because their support will help Trailblazer meet our well drilling and water filter goals for 2016 (160+ new wells drilled, 450 water filters). We are grateful for their support, by providing about one-quarter of our well-drilling budget for 2016, and about one-tenth of our water filter deliver budget.

Trailblazer Foundation Raises $10,000 for New Water Filter Truck, Now on Crowdfunding Campaign for a New Well Drilling Truck

In April, Trailblazer initiated a fundraising campaign with our existing donors to purchase a new water filter delivery truck for our field team in Cambodia. Our goal was to raise $6,000 of the $10,000 we needed for a new truck, and we were succcessful. We secured the remaning $4,000 from two sources: [1] a $2,500 contrinution from Friendly Planet Travel, another partner of ours in the business of offering travel tours around the world, and [2] $1,500 from selling our dying nine-year old truck in Cambodia.

In early June, we initiated a second campaign to purchase a second work truck – this time to replace our now seven-year old well-drilling truck. This time, we are using a crowdfunding campaign to inspire new donors to support Trailblazer’s activities in rural Cambodia. Through our online campaign (using the Generosity/Indiegogo crowdfunding platform), we are seeking funding from new sources, new donors, new supporters to Trailblazer.

Almost every weekday, our Cambodian field staff loads our well-drilling truck, and heads to the rural villages of Siem Reap province to bring new wells to our constituents. Our well drilling team uses its truck to transport the equipment and materials needed to drill new water wells, or construct the above-ground piping and concrete foundation for that new well. Each well Trailblazer drills is used by 3-5 families, and provides easily-accessed water for both human and agricultural uses.

As with our water filter delivery truck, we need to raise $10,000 for this new well-drilling truck. The good news is that Friendly Planet Travel has again offered to contribute $2,500, if we raise the initial $7,500. In the first five days of this six-week campaign, we have already raised $1,500. A great start!!!