Mountain Folk in Honduras

The mountains of Honduras are very majestic with flowing hillsides of plush greenery. Crops of coffee, sugar cane and vegetables dot the countryside as if to suggest a booming economy. Horse drawn carts move the products down the steep hillsides to the market place. Men with machetes holstered on their side move from place to place harvesting their next products destined for the cities below. These hard-working families labor to purchase the necessities to exist, not usually for profit.

Mountain streams amplify a sound that will catch the ear from miles away. The streams hide the fact that they are deadly because they have no life in them. There are no fish, they have been fished out. The water has been contaminated with E-coli from animal and human feces. Streams are flow-regulated by the amount of rain, sometimes very placid, sometimes a torrent of flooding water. Either way, they deliver death and sickness when the rainy season is the worst. Belen Gualcho had a very serious outbreak of hepatitis just before we arrived.  They believed the cause was from the water. In these remote areas, sanitation is not understood, nor practiced.  Soap is a luxury, not a necessity.

​We arrived in a remote village called Aguacatillo. (small avocado). A 4-wheel-drive, motorcycle or by mule is the way to get there.  But, during the rainy season a mule or walking is the only way to get there.  This is truly a beautiful place.  It is approximately 20 kilometers from Belin Gualcho at 4,000 feet elevation. The residents depend on mountain streams for water. I have enclosed a picture of their water collection system where they have no chlorine regulators, just a storage container. They have pumps to get the water from the stream below, but that is it. Sickness from the water is a way of life for these dear people; that is until they discovered the WAPI. They told us that they don't get sick from the water any longer because they use the WAPI which has been in use for the past two years. The WAPI isn't the total solution for these warmhearted folks, but it does answer an immediate need until they can afford the chlorination device.
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WAPIs for the World just sent 2,000 units to Honduras to aid their relief effort in Eastern Honduras where 1500 families lost their homes and everything they owned when water destroyed everything in its path. Thanks to our volunteers and suppliers who made it possible to send WAPIs. A big shout out to Ty Wheeler and the shipping company DHL who helped in our transport effort. We cannot do this alone.  It takes many humanitarians dedicated to accomplishing this outreach. Also, Boy Scout Troop 320 in Vancouver, Washington produced and donated 850 units to this effort. Great job Scouts.

 Want to get involved? We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit. All contributions are tax deductible. 

This is one of the largest water “holding” containers and it serves one village.

​This is one of the largest water “holding” containers that serves one village. Bob went from village to village testing the water on his November 2018 trip to Honduras. The results weren't good! All of the containers tested for E. Coli. The holding containers are not sterile, they need chlorine regulators. Also, the villagers don’t understand how to use chlorine ​and don’t have money to buy a regulator or chlorine needed for proper Chlorination.

Bob capture’s the water to test as it slowly goes down the hillside. They use PVC pipe.

​Villagers capture the water as it trickles down the hillside. They use PVC pipe which will erode in  time and the holding tank fills to the top according to how much rain the area receives. Pictured is Bob testing the water that is in the PVC pipes.

This is the water reservoir for PAG, (Project Global Village) in Belen Gualcho, Honduras.

​This is a water reservoir for PAG, “Proyecto Aldea Global” (Project Global Village) in  Belen Gualcho. It has a large garden where they feed the greater community as well as sell food at the neighborhood farmers market. PAG also has a sewing company for the Honduran market and have 90 First Aid stations around Honduras. Click above link to read what else they do for the Honduran people. They have served Honduras for 30 years.

These small tomato plants will grow up to 14 feet tall as Bob and Jim Dunn show. Grown by PAG with their own fertilizer.

​These small tomato plants will grow up to 14 feet tall. They also grow 1,400 nice large tomato plants! They pick bushels and bushels of big tomatoes as you can see in the next picture.

​Bob Tait and Jim Dunn who joined the Honduras group and just happens to be a water specialist.