Carole Harper, a judge in California, founded El Porvenir in 1990 after serving as a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity in Nicaragua. She started El Porvenir to address the lack of clean drinking water in rural communities and respond to the determination of local people to improve their living standards.

Jenna explained, "Nicaragua is the second poorest country in the Western hemisphere." In a country where 37% of rural people have no safe drinking water (UNICEF) 

Only 37% of rural Nicaraguans have sanitation facilities. El Porvenir's sanitation projects include household double pit latrines, community wash stations, and school hand washing stations.

• Household double pit latrines: This system is sustainable as a family can cycle through the two ventilated pits. By the time one is full, the second one is safe to empty out. In certain situations, El Porvenir also partner with families to build pour flush latrines and composting latrines.
• Community wash stations: Women in rural Nicaragua typically wash their family's clothes on rocks in streams -- they bathe there, too. Community wash stations are clean, concrete facilities where women can wash clothes without having to carry water or clothes long distances. They also include 2 or 3 shower stalls where people can bathe in privacy -- a true luxury for rural people. Washing clothes and bathing with clean water also reduces the incidences of skin infections.
• School hand washing stations: Children who attend schools with latrines and hand washing stations are 20-30% less likely to miss school than children who attend schools without these amenities (CARE). In each schoolyard, the hand washing station is situated between classrooms and the latrines so students see it and remember the importance of washing their hands.