“Water, water, everywhere; Nor any drop to drink.”
Lines from “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
La Mosquitía is located in the easternmost part of Honduras, in the Gracias a Dios department, the second largest department in the country. Virtually inaccessible by land, it is often referred to as Central America’s Amazon, a gorgeous rainforest of dense jungle combined with marshy wetlands and savanna habitats.
La Mosquitía is very rich in culture and biosphere, but experiences significant difficulties with very limited access to safe water and sanitation systems and healthcare services.
Following are some photos demonstrating the unique beauty of this area:
In partnership with UNICEF and Honduran nonprofit, Agua Para el Pueblo (APP), Pure Water for the World is working with the indigenous people of La Mosquitía to create lasting change, through the provision of comprehensive WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) programs in schools and homes. Together, the organizations are working toward a goal of empowering community members with safe water and sanitation tools and essential hygiene education that will improve their overall health and wellbeing and result in increased school attendance and decreased grade repetition rates. The program is already reaping positive results!
The teachers of La Mosquitia and the local Education Authorities (through the networks of teachers) have replicated what they have learned about how to integrate WASH subjects into their normal academic classroom plans without adding more subjects into the curriculum. Our WASH training and consulting team in Honduras has assisted them with incorporating these WASH topics into their annual academic plans to continue to reinforce the skills. There is great momentum and excitement, with the local educational department and teachers working hard to motivate the children and parents, with a goal of improving their hygiene practices and creating long-term healthy habits.
The work that has been conducted in La Mosquitía to date has been financed by UNICEF including funds from the Big Lottery Fund. We are currently exploring options of continuing work with UNICEF and others to expand our collective and life-changing impact in this beautiful, indigenous, and very underserved region of Honduras.
These photos and video demonstrate students at a local primary school in La Mosquitía, Repúblia del Perú, drinking safe water at school and utilizing healthy hygiene practices, a transformation that is protecting them from harmful waterborne pathogens and supporting their overall health, education, and future.
The students now have safe water in their school. They have learned healthy hygiene practices. New doors to their future can open!
Interested in learning more about our work with the indigenous people of La Mosquitía? Here are some additional blog posts:
- Global Handwashing Day in La Mosquitia, Honduras
- PWW Honduras: Teacher Workshop in La Mosquitía
- Measuring Hygiene Behaviour in La Mosquitia Region of Honduras Via CAWST
