Biosand School Water Filter Project  |  Guatemala

Impacts

Outcomes

Decrease in gastrointestinal illnesses

Improved health and wellbeing

Improved school attendance

Less illness leads to improved capacity to earn income

Reduced medical expenses

Increased community capacity

Background

According to UNICEF data, one in five children in the world lacks enough water to meet their daily needs. Specific to this initiative, rural schools in Guatemala do not have equal access to clean water. Coupled with this, diarrhoea is one of the main causes of death among children under five years of age in Guatemala. Access to clean water is vital. Of Guatemala's 50,000 schools, one in ten does not have access to water or other sanitation options, such as adequate toilets. Of these centres, 5,500 do not have access to clean drinking water.

The National Government are supporting schools with nutrition initiatives, but are not helping with the lack of access to clean water.

Twenty five kilometres from Antigua in the region of Chimaltenango, a small group of committed locals formed an NGO called Los Buenos Vecinos, which translates to The Good Neighbors. Their mission is to tackle the lack of access to clean water in their communities, and they have recently turned their attention to schools.

Biosand filters utilise Mayan technology to filter water, and are being used in projects around the world to clean water. The filters are easy to construct, but need training and monitoring to ensure they are being used correctly for their lifespan of approximately ten years. The concept is that water (typically polluted, ground fed well water in the case of Guatemala) is fed into the filter, and an active microbiome is created which cleans the water. As the water sinks through the filter it travels through particles that become as fine as sand.

By installing Biosand filters in schools, there are a number of holistic benefits. The NGO have recorded that after the installation of Bioarena filters and handwashing stations in schools, children attend 12% more school due. Using Biosand filters reduces cases of diarrhoea and parasites, which has reduced expenses on medicines and visits to the health center.

There are a number of postive impacts that result from the use of these filters, including environmental conservation and hygiene practises. The NGO found the implementation of filters has avoided the consumption of approximately 5,040 plastic bottles per year in schools and homes, contributing to reducing environmental pollution and protecting the local environment. The reduction of diseases and improved access to drinking water has raised the quality of life of families, contributing to greater economic stability and fewer absences from school due to illness.

Can I visit this project?

You and your travelling companion/s can work at the Los Buenos Vecinos workshop in San Andres Itzapa, 25km from Antigua, to construct the Bioarena water filters ready for their implementation in schools. If you speak Spanish, you can also support in the WASH training and monitoring programs throughout schools. Join the five, full time local staff at Los Buenos Vecinos plus some local volunteers and experience the incredible work they are undertaking in their region. For more information email [email protected]