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
Petrona Matrom Cobo’s life has changed significantly since the Guatemalan not-for-profit organization Agua para la Salud, installed a water distribution system in her village (Kalampatzon) in 2009 and 2010 with funding from Blue Planet Network. Before this, Petrona walked about three kilometers each way to a nearby river to collect water. Several trips each day were required to collect enough water for her family of seven. Petrona also carried her laundry each day to her relative’s house in their neighboring village.
Petrona now has a faucet with running water next to her kitchen. This leaves Petrona with more time. She is able to make her children’s clothes and she is better able to tend her crops. She composts, and uses the grey water from her faucet to irrigate her garden. Last year, she fed her family almost entirely from her garden and did not have to buy any corn (Guatemala’s staple food). All of these things save her money.
Kalampatzon’s new water system also is relieving population pressures in neighboring villages. During the civil war, Kalampatzon was destroyed and its residents were forced to flee from their homes. Only about ten of 55 families returned to Kalampatzon after the war. The others moved to overpopulated neighboring villages. Now that Kalampatzon has a water system, the families are starting to rebuild their homes and return to their land.
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>>
What a difference this has made! It’s great that this family has clean water and also understands how to use the grey water to irrigate crops.