Jaime Martinez Gusman School is located in the rural municipality of Marcala, La Paz, Honduras. The school has 3 teachers and provides education to 74 students from k-8. Students have significant absences from school due to waterborne illnesses. Access to safe drinking water within the school will lead to healthier students and less absences due to illness, allowing for a better education.
The school is located in a very rural area with poor drinking water. The community has a small water system, however it is not treated allowing harmful bacteria to be present. The water system is also not big enough, forcing the students to use water from an old contaminated well during the dry season. In previous years the reported cases of children sick with diarrhea has been very high.
Our implementing partner, EOS International, will install a water treatment system ‘Sistema Combinado’ (Combined System, in English) to purify the water at the school. This system consists of a two-step process:
- Reduction of water turbidity (cleaning the water so it is crystal clear)
- Treating the bacteria to ensure it is safe to drink
This system will serve as a mini-water treatment plant, reducing the levels of turbidity and killing any bacteria present in the water. EOS technicians will install this system in collaboration with the teachers and students, teaching them how it works and the proper maintenance. Program manager Oneida Lara has prepared a curriculum around water, sanitation and hygiene education (WASH) for the students. She will continue visiting the school monthly and work with the teachers to educate students on safe WASH practices.
EOS has a water quality lab at their office in Marcala and will do testing after the system is installed to ensure the water is safe to drink. This program has a 10-year track record providing solutions and ongoing monitoring to schools and communities in Central America.
H2O for Life partners with experienced NGO organizations around the world that build and support clean water, sanitation, and hygiene education projects in schools. These NGO partners cover half the total cost of every project funded through H2O for Life.
When students raise money for a project, 90% of the funds go directly to the project, and 10% supports the work that makes the project possible. This includes choosing trusted partners, managing funds responsibly, checking on projects, and reporting back so students can see the impact of their work.
This helps ensure every project is done well, stays sustainable, and truly changes lives.
In rare situations, we reserve the right to reallocate funds to alternate project(s).
Questions? Ask us at 651-756-7577 or info@h2oforlifeschools.org.
