30 Reasons to Give Back
The blog was written by HSP employee Alyssa Ondarza
On November 28th, AMA and HSP facilitated and oversaw the delivery of 30 sanitation systems to 30 families in the community of Chuicutama, Guatemala.
Previously, the women of the community have worked together with the assistance of AMA and HSP to build communal sanitization stations. This project successfully provided women in the community with safe places to wash and dry their laundry but it did not eliminate all burdens. The sanitation station in Chuicutama is located more than a mile and a half away from the main community where enough water can be found to fill a large basin. This means that women must walk over a mile with their clothes and linens on their heads and backs – many with their children in tow. Most women try to reach the station early in the morning while the water level is still high and easier to reach, resulting in lines and long waits for a free spot to begin cleaning. When water levels are low, women must stand on a stone or cinderblock to be able to bend over far enough to reach clean waters causing further strain on their backs and shoulders.
Laundromat water levels early in the morning
Laundromat water levels by 9am
Once all items have been washed, those who choose to dry their things at home will then carry them back the distance on their backs and heads, cold and heavy from being wet. There are tall clotheslines located at the community station to avoid drying clothes on the straw grasses which has been proven to cause skin rashes, but these lines have limited availability. Drying clothes and blankets in the highlands is another story altogether. Depending on cloud coverage, temperatures, and rainfall, drying clothes can be an all-day event. Because of this, women know to arrive at the sanitation station early as an additional hope to get clothes home sooner, taking advantage of the sunnier morning hours for drying.
The communal sanitation system has been a huge benefit to the community, but it hasn’t reached the level of empowerment the community, HSP, and AMA want to see. The arrival of personal, at-home sanitation stations will lift the physical and mental burdens of traveling two and three times a week for a basic household chore. Many people take for granted how convenient and fast electric washers and dryers are. These new sinks will return many hours of the week back to women, providing more opportunities for engagement with the community and career fulfillment. HSP and AMA aim to empower people with direct access to resources and opportunities. Empowering people empowers communities which empowers economic growth and ultimately empowers sustainable and progressive change.
One out of three truckloads of sinks
Unloading sanitation sinks in the community
Following the arrival of the new sinks, the community hosted a celebration banquet. One of the Women’s Circles initiated by AMA directed a cooking class that prepared the food for the banquet that later fed over 150 people. Also attended by another of AMA’s teams facilitating our Online Merchants program for local businesswomen, the celebration included dances, speeches, and s’mores. The arrival of the new sinks may have been a catalyst for this celebration and communion, but the time women will get back from a quicker sanitation process will ultimately promote many more similar fellowships. This is the goal. We know that a single event can bring people together, but equipping change makers with access to opportunities is what empowers mental, emotional, and physical health, enriching communities.
We want to thank everyone who donated, contributed, and supported this major triumph over opportunity barriers. There are yet new families in the community without personal sanitation sinks as well as many other communities we hope to partner with. Together, and with your help, we can continue to empower women, children, and families in Guatemala and across the world to make sustainable changes in big strides through small investments.
Check out how you can help continue the distribution of personal sanitation stations and other resources by clicking below!