Dear Friends and Supporters,
In response to the destruction and damages on community water systems caused by Hurricanes Eta & Iota in 2020, PAG has been working together with the local municipal and community leaders to restore access to water to more than 106,000 persons in approximately 90 rural and remote communities in western and central Honduras. These community water systems have been a number one priority for the overall well-being of families, especially during COVID-19 times.
Following is a review and update of our reconstruction activities:
Right after the hurricanes made landfall in western Honduras, local inhabitants work together to remove large rocks and other debris to begin repairing the community water systems in Ocotepeque county.
PAG has purchased pipes from Guatemala since these are no longer fabricated in Honduras.
With the help of generous donors, PAG has purchased plastic and steel pipes to begin the repairs.
Local inhabitants carry pipes up the mountains (about a two to four hours walk) to reach the water source.
Plastic pipes weigh an average of 30 pounds while steel pipes weigh approximately 400 pounds.
Construction of water intake tanks in the communities of Magueyal, Copantillo, and Suyande.
Installing pipes from the water intake tank to the community tank in Piedra Larga in Ocotepeque county.
Installation of pipes in San Pedrito community.
Installation of pipes in El Arco and La Libertad communities.
Beneficiary families from the communities of Piedra Larga, Rio Negro, and Cubite with access to water restored.
Beneficiary families from the communities of Zopilote and El Zarzal with direct access to water.
In addition, to further reduce the occurrence of gastrointestinal diseases especially in children living in rural communities where water is collected from a nearby brook or river, PAG with the generous support from Agua Pura Para EL Pueblo donated clay water filters to benefit approximately 200 families in western Honduras.
PAG's community health workers in western Honduras visited each family's house to distribute the clay filter.
Education was also provided on the importance of treating water for consumption and how to use the clay filters.
Yolanda Cortez from the community of Zopilote (left photo) and Madelin Valeriano (right photo) are among the 200 families with access to safe drinking water.
My deepest gratitude to our generous supporters for partnering with us in our efforts to bring relief and hope to the families affected by the hurricanes of last year. May God bless you for "supplying seed to the sower and bread for food", and may you be "enriched in everyway" (2 Cor. 9:10-11).
Sincerely,
Chester Thomas
