Las Manzanas School Water Project – Guatemala

Location
Community of Las Manzanas, city of Cabrican, department of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala

Community Description
Cabrican is 2 hours north, by public bus, of the city of Quetzaltenango, in the North-Western corner of the department of Quetzaltenango.

Las Manzanas is geographically close to the center of town, and has a small population. While the community has a constant underground water source, the school does not have access to this water.

Currently, most parents in Cabrican, (and rural Guatemala in general), only have a 6th-grade level education and do not teach healthy habits to their children. The Healthy Schools Program works to instill healthy habits in Guatemalan school children, grades K-6.

Without water at the school, there is insufficient drinking water, and it is difficult for children to wash their hands or brush their teeth.

Currently, some of the mothers bring buckets of water on their heads, walking for an average of 50 minutes, to an hour, one way, just to provide enough water to boil, for the drinks for snack time.

Project Description
This project is to bring water to the school.

Connection will be made to the community water source up the hill, and piping will be installed to feed water to the school by gravity. The mayor´s permission has been obtained to tap into the water source.

The school already has the entire infrastructure it needs, including hand-washing stations, bathrooms, sinks, faucets, and water tanks.

Project funds will be used to buy materials, including PVC pipe, glue, and fittings, and tools, including shovels and hoes.

A 1-meter deep trench will be dug and 800 meters of PVC pipe will be installed.

The men in the community will do all the work without charge.

Project Impact
50 children, 2 teachers, and one school principal will benefit from this project. Indirectly, about 300 family members will benefit from this project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Clifford Held

Comments
Bringing water to the school is necessary for the school to receive certification under the Healthy Schools Program. It is expected that this will bring down the high rate of school absences due to preventable illness.

Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00

Donations Collected to Date
$555.00

Dollar Amount Needed

$0.00 – This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of The Soneva SLOW LIFE Trust as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Volunteer Clifford Held of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Clifford and/or those other PCVs in the country of service.

This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.