By Annette Butty, PWW Intern, Honduras
Consuelo De Martinez, 34 years old, lives in the community of Capire (located in the region of Trojes, Honduras) with her husband Miguel, their daughter, Mayelin Roxani, (8 years old), and their son, Miguel Andani (14 years old).
Consuelo is responsible for all of the work around the home. She spends her days preparing meals, keeping the house clean, washing the dishes, doing the laundry, taking care of the children’s needs, and caring for the animals. All of these tasks require water.
Prior to receiving their biosand water filter and training, the only water that the family had access to was from a ravine. Since Consuelo was not able to treat to the water, it was often heavily contaminated with waterborne pathogens and it was very dirty, especially during the rainy season. But, they had no other option.
When the children get sick, Consuelo must bring them to the health center in Yamales, a community further away, in the mountains. Several times Mayelin Roxani has been severely sick, and Consuelo has had to arrange to bring her to the health clinic in Trojes, a 2+ hour drive from their home.
All of that changed on October 12, 2017, when the PWW team came to their house and installed the safe water filter. Since that time, the filter has been functioning in their home, protecting their health. They even consider it to be a member of the family.
Consuelo’s family has become used to taste of the filtered water, which was certainly different from the water directly from the ravine! They no longer have to worry about the harmful impact and health problems that came with the contaminated water.
Today, wherever they go, the children each carry a bottle of filtered water, as they do not like to drink from any other water source. Consuelo’s husband, Miguel, carries his own water when he goes to work in the field.
Consuelo reports that she rarely has to bring the children to the doctor anymore. She feels quite certain that their improved health is directly linked to their continuous access to safe water and to their healthy hygiene practices, made possible by the PWW program.
Consuelo shares that the benefits of using the filtered, safe water reach beyond just drinking it. She sees the benefits of using it for all of her household tasks and for their personal hygiene. The family’s health has improved, and, as the keeper of her home and family, she feels so good about that!
Consuelo told us that her family is also experiencing economical benefits. Some members of Consuelo’s extended family live in communities that have not yet benefited from PWW’s program. So, instead of spending their limited funds on expensive bottled water, Consuelo invites her family members to come and collect water from her filter. It’s a win-win…the family saves money and has a regular opportunity to visit with one another.
“As a mother, I love this filter for all the benefits it brings to my family,” says Consuelo. “My children are so used to it now that I cannot imagine how life would be without it!”
Hiding behind her mom’s legs, Mayelin Roxani tells us that, for Mother’s Day, she is preparing a dance for Consuelo. “I love Mother’s Day,” says Mayelin Roxani. “Because every year, it is the opportunity for me to show my mom how much I love her and thank her for taking such a good care of us.”