[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none” last=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all”][fusion_text][mk_page_section attachment=”scroll” bg_position=”left top” bg_repeat=”repeat” bg_stretch=”false” enable_3d=”false” speed_factor=”4″ bg_video=”no” video_mask=”false” video_opacity=”0.6″ top_shadow=”false” section_layout=”full” min_height=”100″ full_height=”false” padding_top=”0″ padding_bottom=”10″ margin_bottom=”0″ first_page=”true” last_page=”true”][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″][mk_title_box color=”#393836″ highlight_color=”#ffffff” highlight_opacity=”0.3″ size=”18″ line_height=”34″ font_weight=”bold” margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”18″ font_family=”none” align=”left”]La Isla Foundation installed deep aquifer wells in four comarcas, or small communities, outside of Chichigalpa, Nicaragua, this month.[/mk_title_box][vc_column_text disable_pattern=”true” align=”left” margin_bottom=”0″]These comarcas are primarily comprised of sugarcane workers and their families and are consequently heavily affected by the epidemic of Chronic Kidney Disease of nontraditional causes (CKDnT).
An offshoot issue related to sugarcane production is water scarcity and contamination. Wells in the agro-industrial lowlands throughout Western Nicaragua are consistently drying up, with some communities reporting water levels at only 30% of normal capacity.
Although chemical contamination has not been definitively proven to be affecting the surface water tables, residents are overwhelmingly convinced that the water is toxic.
Furthermore, living conditions in these communities tend to be basic, and waste contamination is a real issue that affects rivers, streams, water tables and community health due to biological contaminants. This photo essay tells the story of the community effort to get supplies and eventually running water to El Triunfo, a triumph in itself![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][/mk_page_section][/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none” last=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all”][fusion_text][mk_page_section attachment=”scroll” bg_position=”left top” bg_repeat=”repeat” bg_stretch=”false” enable_3d=”false” speed_factor=”4″ bg_video=”no” video_mask=”false” video_opacity=”0.6″ top_shadow=”false” section_layout=”full” min_height=”100″ full_height=”false” padding_top=”10″ padding_bottom=”10″ margin_bottom=”0″ first_page=”true” last_page=”true”][vc_column width=”2/3″][mk_image src=”https://laislanetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/1-The-engineers-pick-up.jpg” image_width=”700″ image_height=”350″ crop=”false” lightbox=”false” frame_style=”border_shadow” target=”_self” caption_location=”inside-image” align=”center” margin_bottom=”10″ svg=”false” group=”_general”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][mk_padding_divider size=”100″][vc_column_text disable_pattern=”true” align=”left” margin_bottom=”0″ el_class=”bottomalign”]The engineers’ pick-up hauled 950 meters of PVC tubing on a cart three kilometers to El Triunfo. In addition to the difficulties of navigating dirt roads that turn to mud and erode in the rainy season, the cart broke down mid-journey. A group of teenagers lifted the cargo up to fix the problem, as well as a tree that had fallen in a storm and that had to be cut up in order for the truck to pass.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/mk_page_section][/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none” last=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all”][fusion_text][mk_page_section attachment=”scroll” bg_position=”left top” bg_repeat=”repeat” bg_stretch=”false” enable_3d=”false” speed_factor=”4″ bg_video=”no” video_mask=”false” video_opacity=”0.6″ top_shadow=”false” section_layout=”full” min_height=”100″ full_height=”false” padding_top=”10″ padding_bottom=”10″ margin_bottom=”0″ first_page=”true” last_page=”true”][vc_column width=”1/4″][mk_padding_divider size=”100″][vc_column_text disable_pattern=”true” align=”left” margin_bottom=”0″ el_class=”bottomalign”]Darling and her daughters from Paises Bajos catch a ride with the supply truck to visit family in El Triunfo. Happy, if skeptical, the convoy carried forward.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][mk_image src=”https://laislanetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/2-Darling-and-her-daughters.jpg” image_width=”700″ image_height=”350″ crop=”false” lightbox=”false” frame_style=”border_shadow” target=”_self” caption_location=”inside-image” align=”center” margin_bottom=”10″ svg=”false” group=”_general”][/vc_column][/mk_page_section][/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none” last=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all”][fusion_text][mk_page_section attachment=”scroll” bg_position=”left top” bg_repeat=”repeat” bg_stretch=”false” enable_3d=”false” speed_factor=”4″ bg_video=”no” video_mask=”false” video_opacity=”0.6″ top_shadow=”false” section_layout=”full” min_height=”100″ full_height=”false” padding_top=”10″ padding_bottom=”10″ margin_bottom=”0″ first_page=”true” last_page=”true”][vc_column width=”2/3″][mk_image src=”https://laislanetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/3-The-9-year-old-son.jpg” image_width=”700″ image_height=”350″ crop=”false” lightbox=”false” frame_style=”border_shadow” target=”_self” caption_location=”inside-image” align=”center” margin_bottom=”10″ svg=”false” group=”_general”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][mk_padding_divider size=”100″][vc_column_text disable_pattern=”true” align=”left” margin_bottom=”0″ el_class=”bottomalign”]The 9-year-old son of the Blasina Vargas family, which donated the plot of land used for the well’s installation, observes the engineers at work drilling 200 feet below surface level.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/mk_page_section][/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none” last=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all”][fusion_text][mk_page_section attachment=”scroll” bg_position=”left top” bg_repeat=”repeat” bg_stretch=”false” enable_3d=”false” speed_factor=”4″ bg_video=”no” video_mask=”false” video_opacity=”0.6″ top_shadow=”false” section_layout=”full” min_height=”100″ full_height=”false” padding_top=”10″ padding_bottom=”10″ margin_bottom=”0″ first_page=”true” last_page=”true”][vc_column width=”1/4″][mk_padding_divider size=”100″][vc_column_text disable_pattern=”true” align=”left” margin_bottom=”0″ el_class=”bottomalign”]Pedro Lopez, the lead Centro Humboldt engineer contracted by La Isla Foundation to install all four wells, gets help spray-painting the LIF logo on the 5,000-liter water tank.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][mk_image src=”https://laislanetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/4-Pedro-Lopez.jpg” image_width=”700″ image_height=”350″ crop=”false” lightbox=”false” frame_style=”border_shadow” target=”_self” caption_location=”inside-image” align=”center” margin_bottom=”10″ svg=”false” group=”_general”][/vc_column][/mk_page_section][/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none” last=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all”][fusion_text][mk_page_section attachment=”scroll” bg_position=”left top” bg_repeat=”repeat” bg_stretch=”false” enable_3d=”false” speed_factor=”4″ bg_video=”no” video_mask=”false” video_opacity=”0.6″ top_shadow=”false” section_layout=”full” min_height=”100″ full_height=”false” padding_top=”10″ padding_bottom=”10″ margin_bottom=”0″ first_page=”true” last_page=”true”][vc_column width=”2/3″][mk_image src=”https://laislanetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/5-Jose-Uloa-takes-time-out.jpg” image_width=”700″ image_height=”350″ crop=”false” lightbox=”false” frame_style=”border_shadow” target=”_self” caption_location=”inside-image” align=”center” margin_bottom=”10″ svg=”false” group=”_general”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][mk_padding_divider size=”100″][vc_column_text disable_pattern=”true” align=”left” margin_bottom=”0″ el_class=”bottomalign”]Jose Uloa takes time out for a brief interview while digging 950 meters of trenches. Members of the whole community, including ladies and kids, came out to help bring potable water to their individual homes in El Triunfo.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/mk_page_section][/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none” last=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all”][fusion_text][mk_page_section attachment=”scroll” bg_position=”left top” bg_repeat=”repeat” bg_stretch=”false” enable_3d=”false” speed_factor=”4″ bg_video=”no” video_mask=”false” video_opacity=”0.6″ top_shadow=”false” section_layout=”full” min_height=”100″ full_height=”false” padding_top=”10″ padding_bottom=”10″ margin_bottom=”0″ first_page=”true” last_page=”true”][vc_column width=”1/4″][mk_padding_divider size=”100″][vc_column_text disable_pattern=”true” align=”left” margin_bottom=”0″ el_class=”bottomalign”]Juan Salgado, LIF Co-Founder and President, observes the water tank finally hoisted to its proper place, set to stand on the side of a bean field in the quiet community of El Triunfo.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][mk_image src=”https://laislanetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/6-Juan-Salgado.jpg” image_width=”700″ image_height=”350″ crop=”false” lightbox=”false” frame_style=”border_shadow” target=”_self” caption_location=”inside-image” align=”center” margin_bottom=”10″ svg=”false” group=”_general”][/vc_column][/mk_page_section][/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none” last=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all”][fusion_text][mk_page_section attachment=”scroll” bg_position=”left top” bg_repeat=”repeat” bg_stretch=”false” enable_3d=”false” speed_factor=”4″ bg_video=”no” video_mask=”false” video_opacity=”0.6″ top_shadow=”false” section_layout=”full” min_height=”100″ full_height=”false” padding_top=”10″ padding_bottom=”10″ margin_bottom=”0″ first_page=”true” last_page=”true”][vc_column width=”2/3″][mk_image src=”https://laislanetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/7-Maria-Blasina-Vargas-Juarez.jpg” image_width=”700″ image_height=”350″ crop=”false” lightbox=”false” frame_style=”border_shadow” target=”_self” caption_location=”inside-image” align=”center” margin_bottom=”10″ svg=”false” group=”_general”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][mk_padding_divider size=”100″][vc_column_text disable_pattern=”true” align=”left” margin_bottom=”0″ el_class=”bottomalign”]Maria Blasina Vargas Juarez stands in her kitchen with a new running faucet filling her washbasin. The electric pump system we installed will bring clean water to 33 homes in El Triunfo, replacing the manual well system that required residents to pull surface level water up one bucket at a time. “It’s a great advance because we’ve never had potable water,” said Maria, mother of two children ages 9 and 6 months… “Now we can have a better life.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/mk_page_section][/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none” last=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all”][fusion_text][mk_page_section attachment=”scroll” bg_position=”left top” bg_repeat=”repeat” bg_stretch=”false” enable_3d=”false” speed_factor=”4″ bg_video=”no” video_mask=”false” video_opacity=”0.6″ top_shadow=”false” section_layout=”full” min_height=”100″ full_height=”false” padding_top=”10″ padding_bottom=”10″ margin_bottom=”0″ first_page=”true” last_page=”true” layout_structure=”full” sidebar=”sidebar-1″ full_width=”true” intro_effect=”false”][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text disable_pattern=”true” align=”center” margin_bottom=”0″ el_class=”bottomalign”]
MORE PHOTOS
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