Background
Nicaragua is the third poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, after Haiti and Guatemala. There is a tremendous imbalance between rich and poor, with 45% of all income going to the richest 10% of the population. Poverty affects 2.3 million people, 831,000 of whom live in extreme poverty. Nicaragua’s biggest challenge is to overcome this inequity and deep poverty, which affect children and women most severely.

Over the past couple of decades, Nicaragua has gone from a nation consumed by war and extreme economic crisis to one that encourages democracy and extends strong support for foreign involvement in water and sanitation projects.

Water & Sanitation
Working in alliance with a local organization, El Porvenir, Water For People’s water and sanitation efforts in Nicaragua are concentrated in the northern department of Jinotega, chosen for its high poverty levels and low water and sanitation coverage.

Many communities in Nicaragua are fortunate to have access to hillside springs that can be tapped into for reliable year-round water supplies. Springs are protected at the source and gravity is put to work to deliver water to homes and community taps. When springs are not available, community wells are built, but often at a higher cost.

The construction of pour-flush latrines is a common sanitation solution in Nicaragua. Recently Water For People partner, El Porvenir, shifted away from using wood-framed latrines to metal-framed structures. Although more costly, metal structures will last considerably longer and can be more easily moved to new latrine pits when necessary.

Hygiene Education
In 2007, El Porvenir began the process of training local community educators to carry out hygiene trainings in their communities. This allowed El Porvenir to reach more communities and have a more constant presence, so the message would be reinforced. In 2008, El Porvenir added a radio program, to further spread the learnings.