Project Status at Visit: Complete – Successful | Project Implementer: Agua Para la Salud
Date of Visit: April 2010 | Report by: Jodi Moss | Photos by: Tristan Moss
Elude Perez is a public health teacher who works for Health International (a US funded not-for-profit organization). Elude is a traveling teacher that teaches hygiene lessons to students at various schools in the Guatemalan highland.
Elude visits the school in Janlay village about once a month. On this day, he is teaching a class of first grade students the importance of washing their hands with soap. Together, the students scrub their hands with soap for 20 seconds before rinsing at the school “lavamano” (hand-washing station).
Agua para la Salud (an internationally funded not-for-profit organization) recently installed two lavamanos at Janlay’s school. Before the lavamanos were installed, the students had only four sinks for over 150 students. Group hygiene lessons on hand washing were not possible because there were not enough faucets. Now, the students wash their hands as a group several times each day: before school starts, before snack, and after snack. The lavamanos have given the Elude and the Janlay school teachers the facilities they need to teach the children healthy sanitation habits.
Agua para la Salud is an internationally funded Guatemalan not-for-profit organization and member of Blue Planet Network’s Peer Water Exchange. More Info>>
I remember hearing about this project before it was funded. It’s great to see the photos and that the kids are happy and using the water. Thanks!