Location
El Limon, Santa Rosa de Lima, La Union, El Salvador
Community Description
The community of El Limon is a small village in the hot, dry lands of El Salvador’s eastern most department of La Union. Nestled within the municipality of Santa Rosa de Lima, this community is extremely accessible, as it runs parallel along the Pan American highway.
El Limon is home to approximately 150 families and over 1,000 residents according to a recent census. Over 40% of these inhabitants are children and youth who are 19 years old or younger.
The local school runs from Kindergarten to the 9th grade for 250 students. To attend high school, students must travel to the city of Santa Rosa de Lima, which is costly due to transportation fees, study materials and tuition. As a result, only about half of each graduating class continues on toward a high school degree.
The majority of local work is done in the corn and bean fields and a handful tend to their cattle for milk. As the city of Santa Rosa de Lima is nearby, others find work in the market selling vegetables, baked goods, and clothing. The majority of families receive remittances from family members working abroad in order to meet their basic needs of food, clothing and medicine.
Despite these difficulties, El Limon’s ADESCO (Community Development Organization) has successfully implemented a variety of impressive projects. They paved the main road in 1998 by having each family work to pave the plot of dirt road in front of their house. This participatory approach has contributed to the success of its continued maintenance, and the main road, to this day, is in great condition.
The ADESCO also implemented a project to provide electricity for over 90% of the community in 2006.
Most recently the ADESCO took on the difficult task of potable water. As of 2008, over 100 families and the local school receive potable water from a system of a communal well and water tank. A community pump draws water from the well, which runs into a large tank, and then to the houses and school.
Each family undertook the responsibility of installing pipes to connect its house to the main water line. Water reaches the families for two hours twice a week, during which they fill up the water basins for drinking, cooking, bathing, and laundry.
Recently, the community pump broke. The villagers have been without drinking water ever since, and during this time, people have shared their personal well water or have traveled together to purchase water. The well water from these personal wells is not safe for drinking. However, despite this, many villagers drink this untreated water.
Project Description
This project is to repair the broken community water pump, and to replace the piping needed to reach safe drinking water.
The project has been developed with the assistance of a specialist. Community members have been trained in pump maintenance and will be able to keep up the system after completion.
Project funds will go to purchase materials, and for labor costs to complete the project.
The ADESCO has raised a significant portion of the amount needed. However, assistance is needed to carry out the entire project and restore water to the community.
Project Impact
Over 100 families, consisting of over 600 residents, as well as the 250 students at the local school will benefit from this project.
Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Erica Matsumoto
Comments
Residents have been placed in the untenable position of having to improvise ways to obtain water for their daily needs. This simple but highly-effective project will have a huge impact on the wellbeing of the village and the students at the school by restoring functionality of the existing well.
Dollar Amount of Project
$500.00
Donations Collected to Date
$500.00 + additional amounts for future projects
Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 – This project has now been fully funded through the generosity of friends and family of Erica Matsumoto.
We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Volunteer Erica Matsumoto of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Erica and/or those of her counterpart PCVs in El Salvador.
This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.