Receipt #96 to Caribbean Agroforestry Institute

Providing scholarship support for students to attend the Biochar Water Filtration course taught by Josh Kearns will ensure that the training is accessible to farmers, community leaders, students, and practitioners who may otherwise be unable to participate due to financial barriers. Many of the individuals who would benefit most from this knowledge—those working in rural communities, small farms, and grassroots organizations—often have limited access to technical training opportunities. Scholarships will help bring together a diverse group of participants who are actively engaged in land stewardship, community education, and local food systems, allowing the knowledge gained in the course to spread far beyond the classroom as participants apply and share these skills within their own communities. Funding for course materials is equally important to support the construction of a full-scale demonstration biochar water filtration system during the workshop. Hands-on learning is central to understanding decentralized water treatment, and building a working system together allows participants to gain practical experience with the design, assembly, and function of gravel pre-filtration, slow sand filtration, and biochar adsorption units. The demonstration system will not only serve as a critical educational tool during the course but will remain as a long-term training and demonstration resource for future workshops and community outreach efforts, helping to expand local capacity for safe, affordable, and resilient water treatment solutions across Puerto Rico. 💧🌱