Access to drinking water is a worldwide problem and Guatemala is no exception. In 2017 only 40% of the population living in rural areas had access to drainage and piped water supply systems in their homes, according to data provided by the Living Conditions Survey (Encuesta Nacional de Condiciones de Vida, ENCOVI). Communities and schools of eight municipalities of the department of Quiché could improve the sanitation conditions and their access to drinking water. You can find the original Spanish version of this article in VIATORI.
Since 2007, in Quiché –one of the poorest departments in the north region of the country—more than 80,000 people of rural communities and schools located far away from city centers started to enjoy decent conditions in their access to water. This was made possible by the non-government organization Water For People (based in Colorado, United States) which began doing joint work with the local authorities of the community on tens of water-related projects, sanitation and drainage systems. Photo: David Toro/ViatoriThis is Ricardo Pérez and his daughter. He is working on the weaving of 16 huipils. Just two years ago, the primary school of canton Xatinap III –located 10 kilometers away from the urban area of Santa Cruz del Quiché— had neither restrooms nor drinking water to meet the needs of its 100 students, as pointed out by Petronila Urizar, the school director. Water For People donated four bathrooms, and as there was no drainage system, a dry well for treated waters was installed. Photo: David Toro/ViatoriThe Sanitation Complex that was donated by Water For People in 2019 to the primary school of Xatinap. The village of Sinchaj, in the municipality of San Bartolomé Jocotenango, is located within the Dry Corridor strip which crosses the country from Chiquimula to Huehuetenango. Here the main support for the more than one hundred families who live in the community is the single corn harvest which is expected to be ready around the end of October, according to Rafael Calel. Photo: David Toro/ViatoriA piping system, water storage tanks, and micro water meters in every home is the plan of Water For People in Sinchaj. Having a stream of water at home is a major relief and improvement for the inhabitants who are the beneficiaries of these kinds of projects. Before these were implemented, locals would have to walk up to 40 minutes to get to the water spring, load some water, and carry it back to their homes on foot. Photo: David Toro/ViatoriBefore the piping system was installed, these communities did not have access to water inside their own houses. In May, Water For People, launched the project called “Con agua das” (a play on words, which roughly translates as “Giving Waters”), a campaign which they hope will help raise funds to keep financing and expanding projects that they seek to implement in more communities of the region. Photo: David Toro/Viatori
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