Transforming the Lives of Children and Families
in Maraita, Honduras

Empowering Communities with the Foundation for Health & Hope

The rural municipality of Maraita is located just over an hour’s drive southeast of Honduras’ capital city of Tegucigalpa. Situated in the mountainous Francisco Morazán Department, Maraita is approximately 99 square miles. The main town within the region, also called Maraita, was officially established in 1824.

There are 16 communities within the Maraita region, with a population of approximately 9,175 people. The communities are dependent on agriculture as a primary source of income, and economic stability is difficult to achieve. The opportunity for good health and educational achievement is marred by perpetual poor health due to lack of basic needs, specifically, water.

CHALLENGES IN MARAITA:

  • Families across the region suffer from a severe lack of access to safe water and sanitary infrastructure, with many communities resorting to drinking, washing with, and bathing in surface water. Open defecation is prevalent, often near water sources.
  • Schools lack access to water, and children have no safe place to use the bathroom or wash hands.
  • Women and girls have little to no knowledge of menstrual hygiene management and lack basic materials and facilities to manage menstruation.
  • Water-related illnesses include persistent diarrhea, intestinal parasites and worms, malnutrition, skin diseases and vaginal infections are common and widespread, impacting children and adults throughout the region.

“There is a great need for this vital liquid. These communities need a hand. The people live in poverty. They don’t have clean water. We want to help them with Pure Water for the World’s support. Together, we can solve the water and sanitation problem.”

Mr. Moisés Antonio Vargas, Mayor of Maraita
*Picture shows surface water source in the community of El Horconcito.


PROJECT GOALS AND OUTCOME:

  • Partner with Maraita communities by engaging community members, including local government, in the planning and implementation of WASH programs.
  • Reduce diarrheal diseases from waterborne pathogens:
    • Empower families and children with access to safe drinking water and safe sanitation at home and school;
    • Establish safe hygiene practices, including menstrual hygiene management, for use in homes, schools, and the greater community.
  • Improve school attendance. Enhance effectiveness and impact of schools, and support students with staying in school and achieving an education, by providing:
    • access to water
    • clean water filters
    • gender-specific latrines
    • handwashing stations
    • healthy hygiene practices, including menstrual hygiene management
  • Strengthen health centers, by providing safe water and sanitation resources.
  • Build local capacity.
  • Support gender equality.
  • Empower people across Maraita to experience vastly improved health and renewed hope, opening new doors to their future.

MARAITA FAMILY COMMITMENT:

  • Make a financial investment of 500 Lempiras (approx. $20 US);
  • Participate in safe WASH education training;
  • Construct home latrines, after receiving training program;
  • Share in the implementation and follow-up, to ensure successful and sustainable use of the tools and practices.

For every $550 raised
Pure Water for the World will provide a family with:
  • An in-home use, BioSand water filtration system, that keeps healthy minerals in the water, while filtering out up to 100% of parasites and other toxicants; > learn more
  • Safe water, sanitation and hygiene educational training;
  • Instruction and materials for constructing a safe and effective home latrine;
  • Follow-up monitoring, to ensure the cycles of waterborne illnesses are broken.

Be a part of the solution.
Together, we can make the dream of safe water, sanitation and good health a reality for the children and families in Maraita.