Upgrading Village Water Supplies

In March, CPI Board members and Learning Tour leaders Gordon and Wendy Baergen traveled to Honduras to help in several projects. Their first task was to organize and lead a team of workers to install piping and eavestroughing on some houses in the village of Plan Grande so that rainwater could be captured and stored in concrete basins (pilas) for domestic use. After a few days of hard work, the pilas were full once again.

During this time, the Baergens learned that 16 nearby homes had no water supply. Although a storage tank was available, the spring that had previously provided water for the tank had dried up. The residents had already dug a 200-meter trench to an alternate water source, but could not afford the pipe to make the connection. When they were asked when the pipe could be installed if it were available, "tomorrow" was the immediate response. A generous Edmonton-area CPI supporter paid for the pipe and the next morning a local hardware store delivered the materials. By the end of the day, the pipe was installed, the tank was filled, and there were 16 very thankful and happy families!