“A clean community is a healthy community”

The fair about water and sanitation was held in the city of Alamikangban on October 18, with the support of Save the Children, the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and the municipal mayor. The participation was a success because around 500 people came (and there are 560 residents in this city). 300 of them were children. “We are very happy because a lot of people came today” says Lucila González, the team leader of the project.

Very early, the volunteers came to go to set the stage,  arrange the gifts and so on. Children of elementary and secondary school went to the fair playing instruments, all of them with Save the Children’s t-shirts. It was very warm but they still were very excited and happy.  "I'm having a great time but it is very hot" says Yeilin , a eight years old girl.

At the event, there were contests (like hand washing ) and explanations about the different ways to ensure that our water is safe. A clown was responsible for encouraging the day. He asked the children or adults how we can keep our water clean or how it is chlorinated. “The safest way is using the water filter, but we can also boil it " says Ronaldo , a 10 years old boy.

There were musicians cheering the entire fair, they composed four very funny songs about good hygiene practices. Many children's parents were also there. "I'm loving the show because children learn and have fun", says Sonia Chow , mother of three children .

Working with the population

I was surprised to see how well the volunteers have worked. There have been around 100 and have been working hard for weeks, they are boys and girls from 16-25 years old. "We are supporting this project because it is very important that people in our community consume water in good condition. For years, we have been using water from the river but already it is very polluted and we cannot keep doing it ", says a volunteer.

Volunteers and SC team

50 of the volunteers were trained on the proper use of water, good practices with the wells, chlorination, and so on. They also were trained as spokespersons. After this, they went house to house explaining what they learned to the families of the community. They always were accompanied by our team to feel integrated. Even the man who drives the boat, with which we are going to communities along the river, has helped us a lot.

The people of this community is very poor, however, they have worked hard and have supported us in everything they could. To involve them in the project, we did a Fair Committee where everyone said how they could help. In total, there were 16 cleanups. Kids painted a mural at the school about the correct use of water and maintenance of latrines.

“There have been many sick children by drinking contaminated water. So, people are worried and they were very involved in this project. In the hospital there many children with diarrhea. To avoid that, you have to clean the water, chlorinate, filter it… This is necessary to preserve our health” explains one of the volunteers, a 20 years-old boy, he’s very nice and tries to speak Spanish as well as possible. Overall, all the people here are very friendly although the language barrier is strong.

The fair was in the path of the river, and you could see a lot of signs with sentences like “A clean community is a healthy community” and its translation into Miskito-> "Mihtam Sikbaia ba Amia Tikpara” 

Working with the mayor

According to an official of the Municipality, Dennis González, now that the wells are rehabilitated and families have learned to keep them clean, it will be easier for the next flood.

Due to the limited amount of groundwater in this area, in the next rainy season (June to November), the river will flood, but families will be able to respond it.

"There are many sick children by water. Lot of people have diarrhoea, skin diseases, allergies ... People are worried"

"Throughout the month there have been about 100 volunteers. If we want that they are motivated, they must be integrated into the project and involved in activities throughout their participation. It is very necesary teach them and explain them why it is so important.  If they understand, they take part of the action. This is the only way to empower people"

“I loved the fair, it was really fun, all my friends enjoyed it a lot” says Anielka, a 14 years-old girl. 

Something happened to me that I really liked . I was talking with mothers, so that they give me permission to use photographs of their children ( necessary procedures to ensure child protection ) , and all asked me to do photos of their children and they thanked me. This already happened to me and I like it because it gives you the opportunity to talk to them calmly , ask them their daily lives, and so on. But there was something that I particularly liked . A woman came to me and said "ask me things".

Sonia and her baby

This woman, Sonia, lives in a situation of extreme poverty, has 4 children and live in a palm leaf house; her husband is working out of town for months. In these houses, the people who live here can not afford a house of wood and zinc. Later, I thought about what it must shatter the house every time it rained. I talked with her a long time and saw the need that someone gave her "voice", that someone would listen her to denounce the situation in which she lives. Still, Sonia did not complain, did not ask for things and tried to ease her problems, she just wanted to show their reality.

Sonia had her first child when she was 14. Here, sexual violence against children and teenagers is a widespread and serious problem, because most perpetrators are never reported. The first semester of this year, in this municipality, there were more than 345 pregnant girls under 18, 40 of them are 10 to 14 years.
Despite Sonia has to fight so hard to care for her family, she supports a lot her children for them to go to school.