Anima Debnath, staff member of our local partner organization, DSK, taking the boat ferry to Kaundia to work with the “gypsy” community.
Women from the island are happily paying $2.50/month for a household water connection.
The water system is managed by a local person who took out a loan from DSK to finance construction of a well and distribution system.
A woman demonstrates exactly what it means to be a snake charmer.
The simple shelters they call home – bamboo frame, woven palm leaf mats for walls, a little plastic tarp over the top to keep out rain.
The leader of the Snake Charmer community (he performed with a trained mongoose, not a snake), explaining how they worked with DSK to build a water system and a toilet.
Community members proudly showing us their water system.

One goal in development work is to be sure your projects are reaching and benefiting your target population. For Water 1st, that target population is the poorest individuals, those who are living day-to-day or in a perpetual resource deficit. Access to water and toilets help the poorest achieve a sense of dignity and place them in a position to begin to accumulate an economic buffer to deal with life’s challenges. So our programs are most effective when toilets and water systems are getting to the poorest. In slum settlements, everyone looks poor from our perspective, but there can be people from a wide range of socio-economic statuses in a small area. Our local partner in Bangladesh, DSK, has a system for categorizing the resources available to families to determine who is most in need. They invest the effort to be sure that most of their work impacts the lives of the poorest.

On our most recent trip, we saw a number of examples of DSK’s focus on serving the poorest. We visited what DSK referred to as a “gypsy” community in Kaundia slum. We asked what a gypsy community was. “A group of people who aren’t allowed to own land. They live in boats and make a living trading jewelry, traditional medicines, and other things. Historically, they have been discriminated against in our society.” This group of gypsies had been allowed to settle in homes on dry land, although it isn’t the best location – it’s isolated from the city of Dhaka by a river they have to cross by boat. Living conditions were very poor until DSK came in with their program of water supply, toilets, hygiene education, and community organization.

We also visited the “Snake Charmer” community. Like the gypsies, the Snake Charmers have traditionally been denied the right to own land. They live on boats and make their living entertaining people with circus-like performances. In Demra, a group of Snake Charmers had been allowed to settle on a sliver of land between the main highway south out of Dhaka and a large pond. They had hanging latrines. They bought drinking and cooking water for 5 taka per 3-4 gallons (which converts to $2/month). For cleaning and bathing, they used pond water. DSK approached the community about taking out a loan for their own water system and toilet. For just 3 taka per family per day ($1.25/month), they could have all the water they need right there in their own compound. And it’s better water! The community jumped at the opportunity and they took out a loan for a toilet, too.

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Wine sales tax and shipping fees
Sales tax: Sales tax is based on your address. We’ll send you a receipt that includes your sales tax and shipping fee (if applicable).

Approximate shipping costs: Complimentary Seattle-area deliveries for all purchases.

Fall 2023 promotion – Free shipping of orders of 12 bottles (1 case) or more. You may order as many cases as you want.

Please note approximate shipping costs vary depending on destination. Due to shipping fees that are beyond our control, our suggested minimum order is 3 bottles:
1-3 bottles $24-28
6 bottles $27-37
12 bottles $37-57
*If shipping to Alaska and Hawaii, please call the winery for a quote at (509) 875-2211

Shipping available to the following 34 states + Washington DC: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Water from Wine is a very small winery and unable to benefit from competitive shipping rates that larger wineries enjoy. Wine is shipped via UPS, which adds additional fees for shipping alcohol because an adult over 21 must sign for delivery. Water from Wine does not profit from shipping costs. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.
Wine sales tax and shipping fees

Sales tax: Sales tax is based on your address. We’ll send you a receipt that includes your sales tax and shipping fee (if applicable).

Approximate shipping costs:
Fall 2021 promotion – Free shipping of orders of 12 bottles (1 case). You may order as many cases as you want. Free shipping promotion is limited to 2 cases/person/month.

Please note approximate shipping costs vary depending on destination. Due to shipping fees that are beyond our control, our suggested minimum order is 3 bottles:
1-3 bottles $24-28
6 bottles $27-37
12 bottles $37-57
*If shipping to Alaska and Hawaii, please call the winery for a quote at (509) 875-2211

Shipping available to the following 36 states + Washington DC: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Water from Wine is a very small winery and unable to benefit from competitive shipping rates that larger wineries enjoy. Wine is shipped via UPS, which adds additional fees for shipping alcohol because an adult over 21 must sign for delivery. Water from Wine does not profit from shipping costs. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns..