MADRE Statements

Project Update: Sustainable Solutions for Clean Water in Nicaragua

Posted on: Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Keywords: Latin America, Nicaragua, Indigenous Rights, Water Rights

Sustainable Solutions for Clean Water in Nicaragua

“I’m very grateful to MADRE and Wangki Tangni, because I am able to clean the pond near my house. Before, the children drank the water, but it was dirty: the water had soap, there were even old shoes in there! Everyone drank the water because no one knew.”- Ester, a member of the Kisalaya community

During hurricane season on the North Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua, flooding mixes raw sewage into the water supply, threatening entire communities.

This dirty water brings life-threatening diseases, including typhoid, dysentery and cholera. Because of government neglect, many Indigenous Peoples are denied access to health and sanitation services. As a result, mothers worry constantly that their children will die from easily preventable waterborne illnesses.

But there is good news! With your support, Wangki Tangni recently held a series of trainings. There, women in the rural Kisalaya community learned how to conserve clean water and manage water resources. These Women Waterkeepers also repaired and cleaned two community wells and installed water pumps.

The women of Wangki Tangni also held a community-wide meeting to discuss water. They shared their knowledge about how to manage and care for clean water. Community members had the chance to talk about how the need for clean water connects to the rights of Indigenous Peoples and women.

These discussions are crucial. They help build knowledge that clean drinking water is a universal human right.

Because of your support, Wangki Tangni is able to empower Indigenous women as leaders who will not only meet urgent community needs but demand their basic rights.

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