Community La Reformada, La Lima, Heads Home from Storm Shelters

Community clean-up efforts after tropical storms Eta and Iota, implemented by Global Communities under the USAID’s BHA-funded Honduras Emergency WASH and Shelter (HEWS) program, have enabled a majority of displaced families in La Reformada, La Lima to return to their homes.

With the support of the community, program volunteers, and staff provided by Aguas de La Lima cleaned septic tanks, collected and removed solid waste, and extracted stagnant sewage water from roads.

They also extracted water from the inspection wells and rehabilitated the sewage system with the help of a water pump supplied by the program. Global Communities also provided shovels, wheelbarrows, and rakes for these activities.

Carmen Rodríguez, president of the board of the La Reformada neighborhood of La Lima, Cortés said she is encouraged by the work done since the November 2020 storms.

“Step by step we are going to get out of this crisis and the whole community will be able to be safe in their homes, together with their families.” —Carmen Rodriguez

Mrs. Rodríguez said that despite the difficult situation that she and many families in the neighborhood have had to endure due to serious damage to their homes and the water system due to tropical storms Eta and Iota last November, she feels that they will be able to succeed and appreciates the support provided by the HEWS program.
“Only united as a community will we move forward,” she said.

With the community clean-up campaigns, specifically the drainage of stagnant sewage, HEWS has managed to facilitate the return of 56 out of the 75 families, 280 people, who were sheltered in the Instituto Patria collective center.

“Step by step we are going to get out of this crisis and the whole community will be able to be safe in their homes, together with their families,” Mrs. Rodriguez said.

This and many stories are what motivate Global Communities to continue working closely in affected localities with people in vulnerable situations.