La Laquish Alto Latrines Project - Peru

Community Description
La Laquish Alto, which derives its name from a Quechuan word meaning "water," is a small community of approximately 130 families. Most community members work year-round in agriculture, producing peas, wheat, corn, and potatoes. La Laquish Alto is considered a zone of extreme poverty due to low economic activity, lack of educational opportunities, and health problems.

Of the 130 families, less than 40% report having a well-maintained latrine. As a result, diseases related to lack of hygienic conditions are endemic in the area, including intestinal parasites, malnutrition, and acute diarrheal diseases. Over 30% of children under the age of 10 have been diagnosed at least once with an intestinal parasite, and over 15% of young adults have been diagnosed with malnutrition-related to childhood parasites.

Project Description
This project is to build 10 latrines for participants in the community. The simple pit latrines will be hand dug, and ventilated by plastic PCV tubes. The base will be constructed of cement.

The families have chosen to build the latrine structures out of a wooden frame with walls of painted tin. This design is durable, cost-effective, and easily moved once the latrine is filled.

Project funds will be used to purchase the wood, cement, and tin to build the latrines. With the help of a carpenter, the 10 latrines will be built under the supervision of a community committee and PCV Samantha Kerr over the course of about a week.

All participating families will be trained in comprehensive health promotion, including nutrition, hygiene, improved stoves, latrines, and individual food production units.

Additionally, all families must plant a small family garden, build a small hand-washing station, designate a container with a lid for safe drinking water, and maintain a clean and organized kitchen before being certified as a "healthy family".

After 3 months, the committee will do follow-up visits to each of the houses to make sure the latrines are being properly used and maintained.

Project Impact
Directly benefiting from the project will be 10 families, comprised of 14 women, 12 men, and 25 children, for a total of 51 individuals.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Samantha Kerr

Comments
This is a community-based solution to a major local health problem. Participation involves a substantial commitment to the improvement of the overall health of the family. Factors of sustainability are built into the project, and its successful completion will lead others to participate in similar community development projects in the future.

Dollar Amount of Project
$400.00

Donations Collected to Date
$400.00

Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 - This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Volunteer Samantha Kerr of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Samantha and/or those of her counterpart PCVs in Peru.

This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.

Conclusion of La Laquish Alto Latrines Project – Peru

This project has been completed under the technical direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Samantha Kerr. To read about the beginning of this project, CLICK HERE.

The project was to build 10 hand-dug, ventilated, concrete pit latrines for the community.

Samantha reports:

Despite a few setbacks due to a late rainy season and a few uncooperative local authorities, the community really came together to build latrines they are proud to own and use.

She expressed the gratitude of the people of La Laquish to Water Charity, and to Six Senses Resorts & Spas for funding the project, as follows:

We are so grateful for your generosity and support in our endeavor to better the quality of life of our community.