Central America
Crossroads between South and North America
Seven countries form the 1,200-mile tropical region that is Central America. Its varied terrain is marked by high mountains, including Guatemala’s Tajumulco Volcano at 13,845 feet, and gentle hills that slope down to the coastal lowlands.
Central America’s 40 million-plus residents are steeped in the ancient Mayan cultures as well as African and Spanish influences. Economic imbalance throughout the region means both rural and city dwellers often lack clean water, adequate sanitation, and access to electricity. The work that Water For People does, as always, is focused on the total coverage of a region with full water and sanitation coverage. We also work to combat the project failures that are common when long-lasting successes aren't planned into the work and into the community itself.
But there is reason for hope. Positive gains are being made where full communities are covered and monitoring of the work is at the forefront. One area that must be acknowledged regarding solving the problem of project failure is the FLOW application. This online, open-source monitoring system allows a wide variety of people to input status on water points and sanitation, so that we can all see what works and what doesn't and improve things. Learn more about FLOW.
