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Nicaragua
After enduring more than a decade of civil war, Nicaragua was struck by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, causing billions of dollars of damage to property and the infrastructure. Today, more than half of the country’s rural population and 90% of the urban population do not have access to clean drinking water. As a result, diarrhea and gastroenteritis are leading causes of death among children 1 to 4 years old.
Episcopal Relief & Development is partnering with US-based non-profit organization El Porvenir to improve the standard of living for Nicaraguans through sustainable self-help, water, sanitation and reforestation projects. The agency also works with The Council of Protestant Churches of Nicaragua (CEPAD) to support an agricultural training program that provides communities with the resources they need to feed their families.
Promoting Health and Fighting Disease
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Sanitary wells ensure families have clean water year-round in their own villages. Household latrines provide adequate sanitation for families to prevent disease.
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Smokeless cook stoves use less wood and are vented outside the home to prevent respiratory illnesses.
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Trained health promoters instruct community members in basic disease prevention; hygiene and sanitation practice reduces respiratory, water-borne, mosquito-borne and parasitic illnesses.
Alleviating Hunger and Improving Food Supply
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Training and support gives residents the skills to establish community nurseries to grow seedlings, which when grown are planted in watersheds to reduce soil erosion and enrich soil.
