I recently ventured on a short trip through Central America for the dedicated purpose of photography projects. The first stop was Tegucigalpa, the capital city of Honduras, for an assignment with a new organization that is already making a big impact: Water With Blessings. The main objective of this program is to provide clean drinking water, and therefore better health, to families who need it most.
Sister Larraine Lauter, an Ursuline Sister from Louisville, KY, has been traveling to Honduras for 10 years to work with the residents of Tegucigalpa to improve the health and well-being of their own families and communities. Sister Larraine now acts as director of Water With Blessings as the program grows and forms into an organization.
Lilian, and other local leaders with the program, guide the women through training in the importance of clean water and proper use and maintenance of the water filters.
The women personalize and decorate their buckets to brighten up the filteration system and to ensure that each stays in the home for which it is intended.
The simple but very effective filters manufactured by Sawyer Products offer a low-cost, sustainable source of clean water for families. The recipients agree to filter water for at least two other households in their neighborhood. This effectively triples the general health benefits of the program while also helping to strengthen community ties.
An important part of helping the training go smoothly is childcare. Volunteers play and do crafts with the children while their mothers learn about their new filtration systems.
The organization’s website is under construction, with the photographs I have created as some of the building blocks. To read a short description and update of the ministry: http://www.churchofepiphany.com/news/2011/jul/waterwithblessings.
Update: WWB’s website is now fully functional! www.waterwithblessings.org
October 2, 2011 at 8:13 PM
Great pics! What a great program too.
October 3, 2011 at 10:39 AM
Thanks, Angela. I am proud to work with them.