Background information

Honduras is a small country located directly north of Nicaragua inthe southern-most portion of Central America.  Honduras is currently the third most-impoverished country inCentral America. 

Summer 2008 Implementation

In August 2008, a team of sixteen MissouriS&T students, a faculty advisor, and a professional engineer traveled toSantiago, Honduras on the implementation trip tobring potable water to the town. Upon arrival, a town meeting was held in Santiago with community leadersto lay out the plan for the next week of work and answer any questions thecommunity members may have had. Over the course of the ten-day trip, several small teams worked to helpbring potable water to Santiago. The water filtration team distributed 21 Bio-Sand filters to some of thepoorer families in the community. The rainwater collection team built two collection systems for theresidents on the outskirts of the town. The entire team worked on the 2,000 gallon Ferro cement water storagetank, which was completed before the team departed.  The assessment team mapped the community using GPS andgathered other information that will be pertinent for future projects relatingto the waste water and water distribution systems.  The trip as a whole was very successful and benefited boththe community and the EWB –Missouri S&T team.

Plans for return trip in 2009

Students from the MIssouri S&T chapter of EWB are planning to continue their partnership with Santiago by making a return trip in the summer of 2009.  The goal of the trip will be to continue improvement of the current water and waste water systems.  Further instruction and building demonstration will also be provided to local officials and laborers.  It is vital to provide the community with knowledge and the tools necessary to continue implementing and maintaining quality water distribution systems after the groups' departure.