Fondo para la Paz

The issue:

The rural areas of Sierra Zongolica in Veracruz, México, are home to the predominantly Nahua-speaking indigenous people, where many communities live in extreme poverty. Both these indigenous communities and the wider population face various hardships surrounding access to water.

With a lack of infrastructure for collecting and transporting water, deterioration of the water pipe network, and low quality of water for consumption, this population’s hygiene and health, especially in women and girls, is negatively affected due to a lack of clean water.

The project:

Since 1994, Fondo para la Paz has been promoting the development of indigenous communities that live in extreme poverty, increasing people's capacities to generate their own living conditions through participatory, inclusive and sustainable projects.

Croda Foundation has awarded Fondo para la Paz £19,769 for the construction of rainwater collection and storage systems for families in Veracruz. Thirteen systems will be built that will support 83 families in their communities, directly impacting 332 people.

Each water storage system will last 25 to 30 years. A local Veracruz company will provide training to the communities for construction and maintenance of the units, with supervision from Fondo para la Paz. One member of each family will receive this training so that they are able to perform the required yearly maintenance.

To learn more about Fondo para la Paz, visit its website.