How the project began

Having been a member of NCECA since the 70's, I have been exposed to projects like Potters for Peace (please visit their website) and the ceramic water filter factories. I met Ron Rivera at the Portland conference in 2006 and Manny Hernandez at the one in Phoenix in 2009. Manny spent some time telling me about his work.(google him and ceramic water filters and you will be amazed) He left me wondering what I could do to help.  In the summer of 2010, I had a Farmer's Market booth in Minturn, Colorado, next to the Aid Tanzania non-profit booth. I got to know Tina and her family and the reasons for their work.  I asked her if she knew about ceramic water filters and if they would help.  Well, of course they would. So I sent her the information and found out that Manny had started a factory in Arusha, Tanzania, which is about a 3 hours' drive for them. The scope of Tina's project is huge and funding is limited, so I asked my clay friends (we call ourselves the Summit County Clay Artists) if they would like to make cups to sell to raise money to purchase the filters for Aid Tanzania. Wonderful women that they are, they took the ball and ran with it. We've decided to make it an ongoing project. The local girl scouts and the high school art students have made and donated cups as well. We are currently collating our progress and will keep an ongoing update of the cups and monies raised along the side of this blog.