Julie Allen, Executive Director of Engineers in Action, and her colleague, Carlos Aguilera, Director of Operations for FIEA-Ecuador, presented at this week's meeting about Ecuador and its clean water challenges. EIA collaborated with the St. Charles Breakfast Rotary Club (represented by AJ Roth, who also attended our meeting) recently collaborated on a Rotary International Global Grant in an effort to address the issues.
After some words by AJ and Julie, Carlos shared details about Ecuador and the unique characteristics of its geography and its people. Unfortunately, the 1:00 PM conclusion of the meeting came before he had a chance to share details about the Rotary International Global Grant project. I am sharing some of the information here from the second slide presentation deck that was to be shared during the meeting:
Project Name: WASH In Schools, Guangaje, Cotopaxi, Ecuador
The educational centers of the Guangaje community face several problems, due to the lack of knowledge of basic hygiene standards, little access to preventive health information, and the lack of adequate hygiene facilities. In this way, most of the families have presented complications in their health.
According to data from the "Rafael Ruiz Arroyo" Hospital in Pujilí, the main causes of medical attention are due to Acute Respiratory Infections (acute pharyngitis, acute tonsillitis, and Rhinopharyngitis), diseases transmitted by the consumption and use of unsafe water (Parasitosis; Gastroenteritis acute, Amebiasis, acute diarrheal diseases, and dermatitis). Despite the fact that these diseases affect a large part of the population, it is necessary to emphasize that both children and adolescents are the most affected. This directly influences the rates of both scholar absence and dropout. Another reason why adolescents leave early their studies is pregnancy. According to INEC, the province of Cotopaxi occupies the sixth place nationwide in adolescent pregnancies and is increasing in rural areas, due to the lack of campaigns for sexual education and ignorance linked to taboo subjects within the home and the idiosyncrasy of the community. The current facilities were built 18 years ago, the oldest ones, and 12 years ago, the most recent ones. The deterioration is mainly due to the excessive use generated by the number of current students and the lack of maintenance. For this reason, the problem will also be addressed from a health component with WASH workshops.
Using the WASH tool, an evaluation determined that:
- At least half of the sanitary parts (toilets, sinks and faucets) must be repaired or replaced.
- The external water network has sufficient pressure and flow for the school, but the internal distribution system is damaged.
- There are leaky connections and doors whose handles security standards.
- There is a lack of garbage cans, cleaning supplies, soap and toilet paper dispensers.
- There is differentiation of areas for women and men, but there is no distinction of space for children, adolescents and adults.
- There is not enough infographics or signage on hand washing, good use of facilities, nor cleaning/maintenance records.
- The paint and part of the plastering must be replaced.
- According to the number of students there is a deficit of 10 toilets, 10 sinks, 3 urinals.
- The intervention includes 11 toilets, 11 sinks, 4 urinals and also 1 toilet plus 1 sink for people with disabilities.
In order to address the clean water challenges found, the groups hope to train local residents on the following concepts:
- Hand hygiene
- Personal Hygiene and Household food, Proper Management of sanitary units
- Water Care and Water Treatment at the Home Level and its safe storage.
- Menstrual Health and Hygiene