Throughout Daniel Pearl Magnet High School (DPMHS) on Sparkle Saturday there were numerous projects taking place, one of the many was the building of Water Pasteurization Indicators (WAPIs).

The Interact Club of DPMHS built over 500 WAPIs that  are being sent to Uganda. WAPIs have been sent all over the world and have saved countless lives.

Twenty students from the Interact club attended school on Feb. 23, to help build the WAPIs along with Club Sponsor Daniel Cramer and Rotary Sponsor Todd Gurvis .

“You guys are doing a great thing,” said John Hicks, a former member of the Peace Corp in Africa.

WAPIs are small devices that have wax in them to help the intended user when the water is safe enough to drink. The wax will melt at 149 degrees, which is the temperature where water boils and is no longer contaminated.

WAPIs are reusable unless they are broken because they are made of glass. The WAPI is a very useful tool to have in many poor countries that have a poor water supply.

WAPIs make water safer to drink so that people do not end up being with diseases in water.

While Hicks was in the Peace Corps in Africa, he went to a village and realized his water filter was broken. Needing water desperately, Hicks drank from a dirty water supply and was sick for the rest of his time in Africa.

“Things like this really do save lives,” said Hicks, with a smile on his face.

The Interact Club members of DPMHS were inspired to take this project to their school after participating in a similar WAPI building project at Calabasas High school.

Interact Club planned on building 600 WAPIs but due to the lack of some materials, they built less than they planned.However, they still managed to build 508.

The Interact Club at DPMHS was proud of what they accomplished.

Even though The Interact Club is fairly new at DPMHS, they are slowly but surely growing and making a difference by doing things to help their community and now around the world.

“People here take for granted something the people in Uganda are in desperate need for and I’m grateful for your help. You are making a difference!” Hicks said.