A BIG PARTY: WATER FOR CAÑADA DE PIEDRA AND ALTAGRACIA (DOMINICAN REPUBLIC)
It has been eleven years since Florinda Ramírez and Bienvenido Mancebo (who everyone affectionately calls El Ciego, “the blind man,” because of his droopy eyelids), set about to realize a dream to bring water to
their communities. These villages, two little settlements called Cañada de
Piedra and Altagracia, are located within the territory of La Sagrada Familia
parish. Five hundred people live there. These people have never had accessible
potable water for drinking, cooking and washing. Instead, while the men work in
the nearby fields as day laborers, the women walk up to four miles round trip
to get water from a well. In the process they must cross a main highway, with
the danger of accidents and injuries, which they have suffered on multiple
occasions. They carry 5 gallons buckets of water which, when full,
weigh over 40 pounds. At home, they
carefully preserve the water because they know that the faster they use it, the
sooner they will have to walk again under the Caribbean sun.
Today the dream has been made a reality. After years of visits
to institutions and authorities, letters, commission trips and meetings, the
communities have achieved their goal. A few years ago the Foundation for
Development of the Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana (FUNDASEP), together with
Manos Unidas and Nuevos Caminos, two development agencies from Spain, and La
Sagrada Familia parish in Sabana Yegua established a comprehensive development
plan in which accessibility to water was an essential component. The Cañada de
Piedra-Altagracia aqueduct was identified as the most pressing necessity.
It has been 18 months of hard work for brigades of volunteers
building protection for the existing well, laying foundations, installing
pipes, and building the elevated water tank of 50,000 gallons. 18 months of
technical supervision by FUNDASEP and parish personnel and 18 months of much
struggle.
Now both communities, totaling 123 families, have a sink and
faucet at each home. They know the effort and money that the aqueduct has cost
and have organized a system to assure its prudent operation, such as the distribution
of water only every two days for limited hours. Everyone will fill all of their
pitchers, pails and containers to make use of this precious resource and not let
the water run uselessly. The water will change their lives and those of future
generations.
We thank Florida, “El Ciego” and all of the community members
for their tireless effort and faithful dedication to this beautiful project.
And so today we are celebrating, with songs, dances, skits, and joy, the
blessing of God who wants a dignified life for all. A great party to celebrate
this wonderful achievement.
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