Where the CWI works
Since its creation in 1989, the spread of the Circuit Rider program across Central America has been astounding. From seventeen communities in Honduras, it has grown to support more than 650 community water systems across the country benefiting more than a half million people. News of the program’s success spread to neighboring communities, resulting in the continued growth and popularity of the program.
The program has experience similar success in El Salvador, where a small Circuit Rider Program was established to provide clean water during the aftermath of a devastating earthquake in 2001. Eight years later, a program that started in just five communities, is now self-sustaining, reaching 72 water systems, and is expected to reach 150 more communities in ten departments by 2012, benefiting 185,000 inhabitants.
With the creation of the Federation of Rural Water Association (FANCASA) in 2005, the program is spreading to neighboring countries including Guatemala, Belize, Nicaragua and Costa Rica and to Dominican Republic in the Caribbean.
(maps of Honduras and El Salvador here)
CWI Benefits & Accomplishments
The implementation of our program in Central America has resulted in increased grassroots participation through community-based, regional and national water associations, including the Honduran Association of Management Boards of Water Systems ( AHJASA), El Salvador Association of Water Systems ( ASSA) and FANCASA. In just ten years the Clean Water Initiative has spread to 720 communities throughout Honduras and El Salvador, and provides more than 670,000 people with clean drinking water and the chance for a healthier life.
Achievements of the Circuit Rider Program in Central America (1990-2008):
- Organization of nine National and International Conferences on water and sanitation.
- Construction of the Nacaome Training Center in Honduras located on the Panamerican Highway with easy access from El Salvador and Nicaragua
- Creation of the Chlorine Bank Program
- Creation of FANCASA
- Installation of 500+ manual pumps
- Installation of 250+ chlorine tablet feeders and upgrading of 520 water disinfection systems
- Training of 4,000+ water operators and 50 Circuit Riders trained.
- Increased coordination between international and national water organizations including municipalities, NGO’s such as CARE (USA), IRWA (USA), Trocaire (Irland), COSUDE ( Switzerland), RAHSON ( Central America)
(Picture 4)
