Project Launch:

The mountain community of Sicchez, located in northern Peru, lacked a clean water source, which contributed to the high levels of infections, parasites and malnutrition. The community identified the six area schools as primary locations to tackle this problem, and with a grant from World Connect, initiated the Purifying Piura project. The project eliminated the consumption of crude, untreated water and decreased the amount of youth affected by water-borne illnesses. It also involved the youth in many ways. First, the student body was put in charge of cleaning and utilizing the water buckets. They received training on how to treat water with the proper amount of chlorine, and also learned a variety of other water treatment techniques. The project was so successful that administrators from other schools in the region requested to be included, amplifying the impact of this $275 grant from World Connect’s Kids to Kids Program.