When Maria Lopez moved in with her husband’s family, she learned that the residents called their community "El Olvido" – The Forgotten Place. They needed water. They felt neglected and forgotten.
“Yo venía de un lugar donde había mucha agua, pero aquí no había dónde bañarse ni beber”, explicó María. "The children were the ones who suffered the most. At times they went hungry because there wasn’t the water to cook food properly."
This town in San Antonio de Cortés, Honduras, had a rudimentary water system that provided minimal water services to four families, but that was nowhere near enough for the whole community.
Durante el verano, cuando el agua escaseaba, los habitantes tenían que hacer un recorrido de una hora hasta tres veces por semana hasta el arroyo más cercano. Otros compraban agua en otro pueblo, pero era costoso y aún así oneroso traerla a casa.
"This solution wasted time and made it difficult to prosper," Maria shares. "We were spending all our money on the most basic substance – water."
Maria realized how dire the situation around her was. She wouldn’t let her family continue to live without water. So, gathered her neighbors and established a group committed to addressing their water concerns.
"Hay que luchar para que las cosas sucedan hasta que se vea un cambio", dijo María.
El grupo se topó con obstáculos y no pudo avanzar en su labor de establecer contacto con grupos y departamentos gubernamentales. Finalmente, la conexión con el equipo de Water For People en Honduras permitió avanzar.
"It was as if they were waiting for us there," Maria shared. "Eight days after asking Water For People for help they came with technicians to make measurements. They said they’d be back in a month, and sure enough, they were."
Water For People ayudó con los materiales, los ingenieros y los contratistas, pero la comunidad aún necesitaba el apoyo del alcalde y del gobierno del distrito para garantizar la sostenibilidad a largo plazo de la iniciativa mediante la financiación y el mantenimiento. En esa época, un nuevo candidato que era comprensivo y comprendía la gravedad de la crisis se presentó y fue elegido. alcalde. Water For People también facilitó las conexiones y el apoyo del gobierno del distrito, y los miembros de la comunidad ayudaron a establecer el sistema de agua.
Water For People’s commitment to Everyone Forever means no one is left behind – no community should think of themselves as forgotten.
Massive changes have come to this town. People are relaxed, smiles come easier. Children are happier, healthier, and miss fewer days of school. Neighboring children dart around Maria’s home and laughter is in the air. The community feels connected, hopeful.
Maria vowed she wouldn’t have another child if the village didn’t have water. At the time of writing this, she is now expecting her second child. "He will have a different life than my first son," she shares. "I didn’t want to have another child who would come to this community and have to suffer."
"I would tell people to keep on fighting for water, for what gives us life," Maria shares passionately. "And if you see the chance to fight to help people who are struggling, fight with all you’ve got."
Thanks to Maria’s fierce commitment, the collaboration of the local government, the community’s belief in something better, and the support from Water For People, the town has transformed.
Instead of The Forgotten Place, the town is called "Nueva Esperanza" – New Hope.