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World Water Day, held on March 22 every year since 1993, is an annual United Nations Observance focusing on the importance of freshwater. World Water Day celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water. It is about taking action to tackle the global water crisis.
Remembering American Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes’ words, “a river is more than an amenity, it is a treasure,” USAID’s regional efforts include caring for the headwaters of the Lempa River, one of the longest in Central America – and the largest river in El Salvador. Through the Upper Lempa Watershed Project, USAID and Winrock International engage government, communities, environmental groups and other stakeholders across El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras to improve the health and resilience of the Upper Lempa Watershed, directly impacting the wellbeing and water security of approximately 180,000 people in the three countries.
Current efforts include reducing the algae presence at the intake of the Torogoz Drinking Water Treatment Plant and supporting the plant's water quality early alert system through three ultrasonic buoys that USAID donated to El Salvador’s National Administration of Aqueducts and Sewers (ANDA). The Torogoz plant is responsible for providing water services to 1.5 million Salvadorans. This system of ultrasonic buoys, used for the first time in a water treatment plant in Central America, reduces algae contamination in the river using ultrasound.
In addition, USAID is supporting the development of new Municipal Water Security Plans in prioritized communities in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras that are the most vulnerable to water security risks. USAID is also constructing and equipping six riverine hydrometric stations in the main tributaries of the Lempa River in El Salvador. These stations are the first of their kind to be used in the region. They collect and generate real-time rainfall, flow and water quality data on conductivity, temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen, all of which are critical for informed water management decision making.
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Commemorating International Women's Day with Community-based Activities in Costa Rica
The Integrated Responses on Migration from Central America Project hosted workshops on migrant integration and self-care in the communities of Pital, San Carlos, and Upala on March 6 and 7, 2024. The workshops “Logremos la integración” (Let's achieve integration) commemorated International Women's Day 2024, and provided migrant women and host community members an opportunity to exchange good practices on peaceful coexistence, community harmony, and integration. The sessions also encouraged personal and collective self-care among women. A total of 75 women from Nicaragua, Peru, Colombia, and Costa Rica took part in the workshops.
The National Women’s Institute (INAMU) and the Domestic Violence Network (RED-VIF) of Upala supported the workshops. In Upala, other organizations such as the Woman Foundation, the Institute of Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Costa Rican Social Security Fund, the Ministry of Health, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN Refugee Agency, and the organization Ayuda en Acción joined the initiative to provide information and care services.
USAID’s Integrated Responses on Migration from Central America Project is a regional initiative implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to assist government and non-government institutions providing services to returned migrants upon their return to their home country, reintegrating them effectively into their communities.
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Farmers Receive Post Harvest Equipment to Increase Sales
USAID El Salvador Acting Deputy Director Andrew Reese delivered post harvest equipment to 27 small-farm holders in La Canoa, San Miguel, El Salvador, on March 11, 2024. With a USAID investment of $50,000, the donated equipment included vegetable baskets, sorting tables, safety and protective equipment, a scale, among others. With this donation, the farmers will be able to close a new commercial deal by meeting the requirements of Walmart as well as other formal buyers in the future.
In December 2021, the governments of the United States and Mexico announced Sembrando Oportunidades, a new framework for bilateral cooperation to address the structural causes of migration from Central America. Within this framework, USAID and the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID) coordinate resources and development expertise to help citizens of northern Central America build a prosperous future in their home communities.
In August 2022, USAID/Mexico launched the Alliance for Root Causes and Opportunities (ARCO) project to accompany AMEXCID’s efforts in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador with technical assistance, capacity building, and monitoring and evaluation. To this end, ARCO works under three components: youth workforce development; agriculture; and collaboration, learning, and adaptation. ARCO’s agriculture component is aligned with AMEXCID’s Sembrando Vida, providing the beneficiaries with additional technical assistance, tools, and equipment, and linking them with sustainable markets.
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This is the second chapter of the animated series "A Million Meters Away: The Adventures of Paco and Clari" which seeks to raise awareness about the risks of irregular migration and generate spaces for dialogue on the subject. This is an initiative of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and USAID under the Integrated Responses on Migration from Central America Project.
The series presents the story of Clari, an adventurous 12-year-old girl, and Paco, an intelligent but shy 8-year-old boy. They embark on a journey that will change their lives in unexpected ways. Their journey will initially be exciting, but they will soon realize the risks of an irregular migratory journey. On their way, they will cross paths with Luis, an ambiguous coyote who offers help, but in reality seeks economic benefits. Clari and Paco will discover the true intentions of Luis, who plans to hand them over to the fearsome desert hyenas for a reward.
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Low-power ultrasound controls algal blooms. It is an environmentally-friendly alternative to harsh chemicals, safe for aquatic life. Biology analyst Ronald Hernández, from the Torogoz Drinking Water Treatment Plant in El Salvador, shares how a USAID-donated system of solar-powered ultrasonic buoys, used for the first time in a water treatment plant in Central America, reduces algae contamination in the Lempa River using ultrasound.
“The buoys have a physical effect on the water. The buoy has sensors for chlorophyll, phycocyanin, pH (potential of hydrogen), turbidity, different parameters that help us to know the water quality. Normally, when there’s an algae bloom, water has higher pH. Since the buoy is already programmed, it can identify when the pH and the chlorophyll, which is a pigment that all algae have, are a little bit higher. Then, the buoy starts producing low ultrasonic waves that hit the cells of the algae, destroying a structure that contains oil or gas that normally allow the algae to float. This makes the algae or cyanobacteria fall to the bottom of the river where there isn’t sunlight for the algae to reproduce. So the algae dies for lack of food and this guarantees that it doesn’t release its pollutant contents into the water,” says Ronald.
Watch this reel and this local TV story to learn more about this important collaboration that already benefits millions of Salvadorans.
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