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Good News: One Windsor Student Makes an International Difference

Happy Good-News Friday! Today, we take a look at a Windsor student's efforts to combat the scarcity of drinking water in Rwanda.

Happy Good-News Friday, Windsor!

Thanks to Julia Winer for sharing today's good news!

Today, we're starting in Windsor and traveling half way across the world to a nation in dire need of something we take for granted: drinking water.

Find out what's happening in Windsorwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Windsor resident and CREC Metropolitan Learning Center student Michael Malandro recently proved the power one person has to make a difference when he chose to make daily life a bit easier for a few dozen Rwandans.

Inspired by a Jay-Z documentary about the scarcity of clean drinking water in Africa, Malandro took a keen interest in ways to combat the problem.

Find out what's happening in Windsorwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

As a part of his international baccalaureate personal project at MLC, the sophomore began to set in motion a fundraising and awareness campaign that went much further than anyone likely expected.

Malandro raised $800 after sending a letter to local businesses and speaking to members at his church about drinking water scarcity in Rwanda and something called a LifeStraw®.

The LifeStraw® eliminates 99.9 percent of waterborne bacteria from water, turning a deadly glass of contaminated fluid into one that promotes health.

With the $800 and a connection he made with AMG Clean Water, which distributes LifeStraws®, Malandro was able to send 49 of the devices to Rwanda, where the violet Dodrill Memorial Youth Training Center, a Rwandan community organization, distributed the straws to citizens (see attached photo).

"Hopefully the straws will do more than just filter the children's water and will give them a sense of possibility that they'll live a better, healthier life,' Malandro said.


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