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About Casillas

Casillas is a commuity in the municipality of Talanga.  There are about

70 houses with a popoulation of 300 people.  Community members in

Casillas experience a lack of clean water, personal hygiene, sanitation

infrastructure, healthcare, and education.  Common colds, skin rashes, 

parasites, and diarrheal diseases are common. Few homes have concrete

floors, proper functioning latrines, adequate water storage, or efficient

stoves with chimneys.  The closest health center is in Talanga, which is

about a 3-4 hour walk from Casillas. It is not consistently staffed nor stocked

with an adequate supply of medicine.  School is only offered until 6th grade

in Casillas.  There are 54 students who attend school until 6th grade and

about 60% of the graduating class attend secondary school, which is about

a 45-minute bicycle ride from Casillas.

 

Casillas' Water Challenge

Drinking water in Casillas is obtained through a covered pump well

approximately a 30 minute walk from the community.  Women collect

drinking water in five gallon jugs every two days, and carry them for an hour

through mountainous terrains back to their homes.  The water pump often

runs dry by 9 am, and therefore women must get to the pump before then to

ensure they have water for their homes.  In the dry season, this well often

dries up completely, forcing women to travel to nearby communities for water.

 

There is an already existing 15,000 gallon tank but when the pump broke thirty years ago and no follow up or maintenance was performed by the existing organization, community members abandoned the project. 

 

Water System Design in Casillas

Engineering Brigaders began designing a water system in Casillas in July 2014. The goal is to fix the 15,000 gallon tank and build a new 5,000 gallon tank to give water access to households that the original system can not reach.  In addition, at least 4,000 meters of pipeline must be built and the existing pipelines must be tested for air pressure and quality.  Throughout the following months, these volunteers worked with community members to:
     •  Locate a viable source near the community
     •  Test the quantity and quality of the water at the source
     •  Measure approximately 4,000 meters of the future water system
     •  Place stakes at 100 meter intervals to mark the future system
     •  Plan 75 household connections to the system

 

The current Water Council consists of 7 members and they are responsible to collect money from the community when repaires are needed and to design and maintain the new infrastructure.  The council has been working very hard with the local municipality to plan and build an entirely new water system.  A $500 fund exists to begin this project and they plan to connect the new system to three surrounding communities if possible.  Their patience, dedication, and commitment to bringing access to clean water has helped facilitate this design process tremendously and will continue the sustainability of the design and water project in Casillas.

                                                                                       

Engineering Brigades Chapters that Worked in Casillas
Engineering  Brigades Chapter	Month	Volunteers
Team #2 Summer Interns	July 2014	2

 

 

Current Status

In Progress
Water system design in Casillas began in July 2014 thanks to the hard work of the second summer internship. Both student interns and Honduran engineers have continued work on the project and designs were completed in September of 2014. 

 

Visit Other Programs in Casillas

Global Brigades strives to implement a model of Holistic Development in communities through a system of collectively implementing health, economic, and education initiatives to strategically meet a community's development goals. Learn more about the other programs being implemented in Casillas:

 

 Medical Dental   CHW   Microfinance Water  Public Health  Business  Architecture