Nicaragua (MNN)– A newly-dedicated well in a Nicaraguan
Dump community has helped change its face.
The dump is
populated by poor families trying to eke out a living in the city dump of Managua. Residents have stooped to
fighting for scraps of food with the dogs and rats that also inhabit the
dump. Sixty percent of the
children living there die before age 5. Prostitution and drug use exacerbate
the problems.
Several groups have come forward to help these
people. In 2003, a
group decided to do something about this self-perpetuating cycle of
poverty for those who occupy the bottom rung of Nicaraguan society.
They chose to call their effort "The Chacocente Project" (chawkosentay),
an indigenous name to Nicaragua. It's the name of a sea turtle reserve on the
Pacific Coast.
In the same way that the sea turtles are protected until the baby turtles
crawl to the sea, those who have banded together to help these people are
protecting a vulnerable sector of society until they can stand on their own.
The idea is to help these destitute
families move off the dump and into healthier environments, enabling them
to acquire education and tools for a more productive life.
The Ecclesia Church in Houston has been intimately involved
in making a difference there. They
recently partnered with Living Water International to drill a new well for the
Chacocente Project.
This August, a well was installed as
part of a holistic, community-based water solution, and a 2,500-gallon tank now
stands high above the community. A
constant flow of clean drinking water has helped with hygiene, irrigation and
health.
LWI worked alongside
these partners, supplementing and multiplying their work and demonstrating the
love of God by helping communities like Chacocente acquire safe, clean water.
