Access to Water and Urgency
Only 56% Guatemalans have access to safe drinking water. It is a significant public health issue that keeps families in poverty. Access to water is also a powerful tool in the fight against poverty.
Every year, Food for the Poor (FFTP) funds water system overhauls similar to the Chuaquenum and Niagara water projects. Because of the magnitude of the issue, it remains an urgent priority. Your donations are vital to the success of this program.
About The Chuaquenum Community
Chuaquenum is home to 820 people (or 122 families). Most villagers are farmers who produce corn, beans, sugar cane, squash, coffee, and various fruit trees. But many of them needed easy access to water.
The village already had a drainage system and two drinking water projects, but 74 families still had to walk up to 40 minutes each way to fetch water from sources that weren’t safe for consumption. Additionally, water collections made with pails were never enough to cover the needs of an entire family.
About The Niagara Community
Niagara is a rural vllage of 32 families in eastern Guatemala that struggles with poverty, drought, and insufficient infrastructure. The Niagara community is purely agricultural, growing crops such as corn, beans, sesame, and chili, with most yields used for self-consumption.
The villagers constantly suffered from waterborne diseases. While the village had turned to the government for help, nothing came of it. They didn’t have essential services such as water, electricity.
