COMUNIDAD EL ESFUERZO, GUATEMALA

FUNDED JUNE 14, 2023

Comunidad el Esfuerzo is located in Patulul, Suchitepéquez, in southern Guatemala.  350 people live in the immediate area. Your funding will bring a borehole well and hygiene training to them and to the people in the surrounding area.

There are no clean water sources in this location. Current water sources are hand-dug wells, but these are contaminated and often run dry during the dry season. When that happens, this community collects its water from a river that is 20 minutes away from the community. They must cross a busy road to get to the river and it is dangerous to cross, especially for the younger children. They are busy carrying their water containers and do not always see oncoming traffic. Many have skin rashes due to bathing in the river or lack of bathing. The river is contaminated. There are parasites in the ground near and in the water which cause the children’s bellies to swell as the parasites multiply. Children miss school from waterborne illnesses and women and men struggle as well since
they too become ill from the diseases. Time poverty is a vicious cycle of poverty.

EXISTING CONDITIONS

This is a remote community where there is a high number of waterborne illnesses, such as dysentery, cholera, malaria, Typhoid, and parasites along with skin rashes. Mostly women and young girls go in search of water each day. There are a few hand dug wells in the area but they are limited in water supplies. You can gather a couple containers then the well needs to recharge and collect water again. Many hours are spent waiting in line hoping to collect water each day. Others go in search of open sources where water may have collected. During the dry season the must walk great distances to find open sources of contaminated water. Young children have died due to drinking contaminated water. People struggle to complete their daily chores due to dehydration and illnesses. They do not plant gardens, as water is too precious to spare on watering the plants.

Our program implementation through WASH Program Areas is unique in that it aims to bring lasting physical and spiritual development in communities through a multi-year program focused on specific regions, thoughtfully integrating and contextualizing principles of water access, sanitation, hygiene, church mobilization, gospel proclamation, and sustainability.

SPECIFIC COSTS AND FUNDING INFORMATION

Total Project Cost: $5,000

Funding Requested from Ingomar Living Waters: $3,500 – The remaining funds will come from other donations.

Project Timeline:

• Date Funds Required: Before the end of June 2023
• Estimated Project Start Date: June 2023
• Estimated Completion Date: End of Summer 2023

Costs Breakdown:

• Materials: Well materials: hand pump, cement, drilling fluid, piping, gravel, sand, fuel
• Labor: Labor for putting the well into place. LWI’s staff are paid appropriate salary rates which include the country’s requirement of a 13th month’s salary, and health INS benefits.
• Administrative Costs: Will be paid for by other donations.
• Future Maintenance: Paid for by other donations over the first two years, and [by] the community through usage fees collected by the community moving forward.
• Other Costs: The remaining other costs will cover the health and sanitation education/training, ongoing sustainability efforts, evangelistic and discipleship program, and administration/oversight.
• Funding for Other Costs: Where-most-needed gifts and grants towards gospel proclamation will be applied to complete the WPA programmatic work for the community.

WELL MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR

Living Water International will provide training and backstopping support during the first six years, until the local water committee and community have gathered enough fees to build a reserve for funding future maintenance. Water users will pay small monthly water user fees by household, and these funds will be collected and managed by the water user committee, for future repairs and maintenance of the system. The well-caregiver will be assigned and equipped to do the ongoing general care of the project.

DISCIPLESHIP

Living Water employs a pastor within each country’s staff. Their purpose is to engage with the local churches/pastors/church members, speaking into unity, spiritual growth and how to be health advocates within their communities.  Bible storying training is coordinated within the WPA at several locations and outreach evangelism events such as the Jesus film, family activities with spiritual influence or rallies, to name a few.  Bibles are given out to new believers or believers who do not have access to a bible in their own language. [There are other] pastoral trainings or pastoral fellowship activities to unite Christians throughout the WPA in sharing the gospel and uplifting believers.

Hygiene Education​