Team Blue Guatemala 3 Schools Update

From: Lynn Roberts
Agua Para La Salud
Guatemala

We would like to take this opportunity to advise you that the projects in the schools  Kanaquil, Chuche, and Janlay were finished at the end of September 2008.

The project in the Chuche school with 117 children was to renovate the latrines at the school that were in poor repair, repair an existing lavamano ( hand washing station) and construct a school stove for the morning snack. The Kanaquil school was in need of a new lavamano a; repairs to a septic tank; and repairs to existing bathrooms and hand washing station built by the government  some years ago.  The project in Janlay consisted of the construction of a lavamano for the school. Peerwater Exchange sent funds for this construction and about $200 extra to be used as we saw fit. The construction of the lavamano was completed efficiently and the funds remaining allowed us to construct a second lavamano at the Janlay school. The school is constructed on two levels and when we asked the teachers and community how they would like to use the balance of the funds they advise us they would like to have the second lavamano because of the elevation separation in the school and the large  population.

The amount donated by Peerwater Exchange was Q27,726.82 or approximately $3465.85. The amount spent was Q28,089.35 or about $3695.97. The differences in the amounts vary slightly due to different exchange rates at the time of arrival of funds in Guatemala.  A negative balance is indicated below which was paid out of APS  general funds to facilitate the completion of the second Janlay lavamano.  In addition to these costs the village contributed substantially to the three projects with their labor and local materials.

The projects worked smoothly with minimal disruption by the seasonal rains. All of the schools were very please with the results and the added service to the schools.  The teachers are now animated to carry on classes in hygiene as a result of the project. They asked me to pass along their sincere appreciation for the improvement of their children’s health.