Ecuador, Chikianenentza Village 2009

Name of project: Ashuar – ChikianEntza water system project

Location:  Ashuar community, ChikianEntza village, South-East Ecuador, South America.

Project supporter: ITT

Challenge:  ChikianEntza village is populated by an indigenous community from the Ashuar group. The village can only be reached by plane and the Bolivian government’s health ministry lacks the resources to help such a remote location so there is virtually no access to a doctor.
The majority of their health problems are caused by the polluted water and parasites from the river. This is the main source of water.

What we did: We set up a diesel pump to take the water from a creek and then run it along a pipe. The pump’s force is used to carry the water through the purification systems and into a five-metre elevated tank. Using gravity, the water then goes to three tap points where the villagers can collect it.
Having the purification system between the pump and the elevated tank avoids the build up of sediment.

Achievements: We trained members of the community to handle and maintain the pump and the purification equipment. We provided the community with relevant accessories for the filters and sufficient diesel to run the pump for a year to give them time to organise future supplies.

Beneficiaries: Nine families totalling 200 people, including 123 children. Shuar means a man with different wives, generally more than three, so the families are large.

Finish date: December 2009