Photo Credit: Forest Woodward
Nicaragua is the second poorest country in the Western hemisphere. 80% of the population lives in poverty, surviving on less than $2 a day. More than two thirds of Nicaragua's rural communities lack access to clean drinking water. Globally, contaminated water is the second greatest cause of infant mortality. An estimated 1.8 million children die each year as a result of illnesses linked to consumption of polluted water.
Women and girls shoulder the burden of bringing water for all the household needs, often spending several hours a day carrying 40 pound buckets for kilometers.
Access to clean drinking water dramatically improves family living standards, reducing disease and child mortality, freeing girls' and women's time, as well as improving school attendance and performance.
Hato Viejo is a Nicaraguan village, typical of the places El Porvenir develops projects. The 44 families of Hato Viejo are subsistence farmers and agricultural laborers who live in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $50 per month. Representatives from the community approached El Porvenir in 2008 to request assistance. Currently, none of the households have latrines, and human waste is left in the open air, which is a detriment to public health and the environment. They also lack a clean water source, relying on contaminated seasonal streams and open wells for their water. Many of the children suffer from preventable diseases related to poor sanitation and contaminated water. Although the community recognizes the need for improved water and sanitation, they can not afford to purchase the construction materials themselves. The village is unable to get support from other development agencies due to their small size and remote location.
