The Peace & Hope Trust

Clean Water for Anglo America

Project Overview - Phase 1

Nicaragua is the second poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere and has some of the most remote and isolated villages you could imagine. A five-hour boat ride through lagoons and along rivers brings you to a small farming community called Anglo America.

Because of its location, this community lacks access to resources and services found elsewhere in Nicaragua. Households struggle to meet their basic needs and care for their families.

While Anglo America has many needs, clean water is one of the most important.

When community members drink contaminated water, it causes a host of waterborne illnesses, including intestinal infections and diarrhea. Chronic diarrhea is extremely dangerous, killing more children around the world than AIDS, malaria, and measles combined. These water-borne illnesses also prevent proper physical and mental development.

The most effective way to prevent disease and improve health is by providing clean water and WaSH programs.

The impact of your grant

Central to this project is the Anglo America community school. Thanks to the generous support of The Peace and Hope Trust, Mission: Hope has been able to install a robust clean water system and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WaSH) program at the school. As a result, children now have access to something they’ve never had before: clean drinking water.

First, we installed a rainwater harvesting system at the school, replete with a 2,500-liter tank and water filters. (Locals call filtered rainwater “sweet water” for its exceptionally clean taste.) The filters we used are Filtron systems, which are easily available in Nicaragua. They’re also more reasonably priced than other filters, have a long filter life, and are already used by some community members.

Additionally, we gave each student a portable water bottle and filter so they can have access to clean water at home. Students were also trained in how to use and maintain their bottles and filters.

Next, we equipped the school with new latrines for both boys and girls, which will improve overall sanitation. 

We also installed a sink and group handwashing station for children to use after using the latrine. The group handwashing station allows students to practice the routine of handwashing together before they eat meals (a key WaSH habit).

Finally, we implemented WaSH training programs specifically designed for school children and the community at large.

Long-term impact and sustainability

At Mission: Hope, one of our biggest priorities is long-term sustainability. From beginning to end, every aspect of this clean water project was designed to last decades.

Furthermore, we’ve already seen the significant impact clean water can have on the lives of village members.

After installing a similar water filtration system in a school within another community, we saw a 70% decrease in visits to our health clinic for intestinal infections.

Community members described the project as a “dream come true” that has vastly improved children's ability to learn, food quality in the home, and overall health.

Thank you for helping us bring clean water to the people of Anglo America

On behalf of the entire Mission: Hope team, thank you for your generous support and donations. Because of you, hundreds of Nicaraguan children and their families will be positively impacted by having access to clean water.

Help us bring clean water to more villages in Nicaragua

THE OPPORTUNITY

The work is far from complete. There are more remote villages like Anglo America that need access to clean water and WaSH technologies. With your help, we can bring health and flourishing to these villages so more families can thrive.

Phase 2

We’re just getting started. With your help, we can impact generations of Nicaraguans through clean water systems.

With your support, we’ll be able to implement Phase 2 of our plan and provide even more life-changing impact:

  • Improve existing water systems in Kansas City and Makantaka

  • Install new water systems in Makantakita and Betania

  • Through WaSH technologies and subsidized filters/bottles, we can give residents from five villages access to clean water