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Sabana al Medio (Batey)
To ensure their children have the best environment in which to learn, the parents of Sabana al Medio students have been actively involved in all activities related to improvement projects undertaken in their community. They have participated in a water project at the school, which included a health initiative sponsored collaboratively by USAID, Enersol, and COTEDO (a local health organization). Through AguaSol, they received 5 newly constructed latrines, 7 solar panels, and a pump and controller, which now provide clean water to more than 375 people in 32 families. This and other communities in the Bateys received training on basic hygiene and sanitation. Latrines were built for the school, and the community learned how to maintain them to minimize health problems. The teachers and parents also attended workshops in which they learned basic first aid practices and methods to help them avoid re-contaminating potable water. As a result of our efforts in the Batey communities, the time spent hauling water was reduced from 3 hours to thirty minutes a day, per capita water consumption increased by 24%, and the rate of acute gastro-intestinal illness in children under five decreased by 60%. With such results, AguaSol projects make an enormous improvement in the lives, health and dignity of these villagers. |
