For families in the rural village of Campo Santo 1, in Chisec, Guatemala, accessing water is part of everyday life. Community members regularly walk long distances to collect water for drinking, cooking and washing. The responsibility falls largely on women and girls, and the water available is often unreliable or unsafe.

This September, work will begin on a new community-managed water system supported through Palladium’s Our Communities Fund, delivered by Kyeema Foundation.

The project will be implemented by Guatemalan NGO Buenas Nuevas, which has an established relationship with the community through previous education and development activities. Working alongside local leaders and residents, the project will support the design and construction of a sustainable water system that meets the community’s needs.

Over the next 12 months, the project will install filtration, storage, pumping and UV disinfection infrastructure to improve access to safe drinking water. Community members will contribute labour during construction, while a local water committee and trained operators will oversee the ongoing management and maintenance of the system.

By this time next year, the project is expected to provide approximately 1,800 people across around 200 households with reliable access to safe drinking water. Improved access will reduce the time spent collecting water and contribute to better health and wellbeing across the community.

Kyeema Foundation is pleased to support this initiative through Palladium’s Our Communities Fund and looks forward to sharing updates as the project progresses.