Guarantee access to safe drinking water
School 522 “Gaston Bautista Salazar” is located in Rama Paso, department of Quebrachos, a rural area in Santiago del Estero. Currently, 18 students and three teachers attend this school.
Argentina Chicago Foundation raised funds and, through Fundacion San Genaro, is funding a project called “Cultivando Escuelas” to assure access to potable water. This will provide a better quality of life, give children in rural areas access to education, and revitalize rural schools as community points of reference for the area.
Santiago del Estero, the district with the lowest sustainable development Index in the country, is grappling with a severe water crisis. Currently, the schools and rural communities rely on cistern trunks sent from the main localities in the region. This water, stored in tanks or wells with no filters, is often untreated, exposing students and teachers to harmful contaminants. The urgency of this situation calls for immediate action.
This project guarantees access to potable water by implementing a three steps plan:
- Reinstall a rainwater collection system.
- Improve the cistern and install a water pump and water pipes.
- Donate purifying water filters.
This provides a continuous source of water and assures it is potable.
Water availability is a first step in developing isolated communities where water does not reach. This project guarantees access to potable water for the school through a viable, durable, and affordable solution but also provides a concrete solution to the water availability issues in the region, favoring children’s development and promoting healthy habits in rural families.
Status: in progress.
The Argentina Chicago Foundation sent the funds in December 2023, and construction started in February 2024.
