Health emergency in the Pastaza, Marañón, Tigre and Corrientes river basins

MSH Peru, in partnership with the Spanish company INCLAM and with funding from the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Sanitation (MVCS) – National Rural Sanitation Programme (PNSR), supported 65 indigenous communities in the Loreto region to ensure that access to drinking water translates into real health benefits within households. The social component focused on something key: that families use and care for water safely, and that communities can manage their new drinking water systems.

Scope of intervention

65 indigenous communities in the Loreto region

4,000 families

20,000 people

3,096 families with children under the age of 5

How do we work?

The Social Component focused on changing practices in the home and strengthening community organisation around water:

Work and communications plan

with materials adapted to the local culture: community guides, leaflets, posters, radio spots, videos, and success stories.

Community Water and Hygiene Facilitators

responsible for conducting home visits, promoting healthy practices, and monitoring the use and care of the treatment plant and communal pools.

Educational and demonstration sessions with families

Collection, transport, storage and consumption of safe water, rational use of water, hand washing and proper disposal of excreta.

Safe water and handwashing kits

as an incentive to initiate changes in the home.

Results and impact

Fewer diarrhoeal diseases in early childhood

The prevalence of acute diarrhoeal disease (ADD) in children under 5 years of age fell from 64.5% to 23.7%.

Greater access to drinking water and better use in the home

Households with access to drinking water: from 31.4% to 86.2%.
Families who transport and store water in clean containers with lids: from 54.9% to 85.5%.