El Salvador
In El Salvador, through the MWA’s SWASH+ Central America program, CARE is working in more than 35 schools to improve water collection and storage infrastructure, implement new water treatment methods, and provide new restrooms. Most of the schools are located in the Department of Chalatenango. The Government of El Salvador recognizes the need has provided financial and technical support to CARE for the implementation of the program.
Guatemala
Unsafe water and inadequate restroom facilities are the norm in rural, Guatemalan schools. Fortunately, however, through the MWA’s SWASH+ Central America program, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Water For People are helping communities and government agencies improve water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions in their schools. CRS, with local partner Caritas Verapaz, is focusing on more than 40 schools in the Department of Baja Verapaz. Water For People, concentrating efforts in the Department of Quiché, is supporting more than 110 schools.
Honduras
In Honduras, MWA SWASH+ Central America partners Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Water For People are helping communities improve water and sanitation infrastructure in their schools and ensuring that students receive adequate training on hygiene behaviors such as handwashing. Thanks in part to direct support from UNICEF and others, Water For People is strengthening Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) in more than 60 schools in northern Honduras and training them to manage the construction process so they can implement other, future projects on their own. CRS, with local partner COCEPRADIL (a regional federation of community water boards), is improving conditions in 14 schools in the Department of Lempira. The MWA’s Central America work is coordinated by the Secretariat located in San Pedro Sula and hosted by Water For People.
Nicaragua
In Nicaragua, through the MWA’s SWASH+ Central America program, CARE is supporting 28 schools near Matagalpa with improvements to water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions. Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is supporting 26 schools near Estelí with local partners FIDER and Caritas. Special efforts are being made in Nicaragua to ensure an integrated approach which provides impact in the wider community and entire watershed through coordination with closely-related programs in the same regions.
Ethiopia
MWP Ethiopia has been implementing Water, Sanitation and Hygiene programs since March 2004 to respond to an urgent need for safe water supply and basic sanitation for the rural population of Ethiopia through a partnership for advocacy and direct action reaching 1 Million people. Currently, the program is being implemented in five regions (28 Districts): Tigray, Amhara, Southern Nations and Nationalities People’s Region (SNNPR), Oramia and Benishangul Gumuz. Eight international NGOs have been implementing the program on their own or through their local partner NGOs. The major donors who have supported the program in Ethiopia are USAID Ethiopia, Conrad Hilton Foundation (CNHF), and Global Environmental Technology Facility (GETF).
Kenya
The Kenya Demonstration Program started at the beginning of March 2005. Approaches tested included: focusing initial activities around one city, Kisumu, to enhance synergy and impact; point-of-use water treatment with hygiene education and sanitation promotion; water supply, hygiene and sanitation in schools; provision of a mix of typesgrants and loans to communities in the Kisumu area; implementation of the Program Management Group / Secretariat model of management; and partnership with and funding from Coca Cola to enable access to safe drinking water and sanitation as part of Coca Cola’s water stewardship strategy. On January 15, 2010, MWA received word from USAID-Kenya that the unsolicited proposal for $3 Million had been approved. Work has expanded geographically, and partners are working throughout the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) of Kenya. The partners who will be working with this program are CARE International – Kenya; Catholic Relief Services; Food for the Hungry; Lifewater International; Living Water International – Kenya; World Vision.
