The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the Lord will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. —Isaiah 41:17
Every Honduran in the capital city of Tegucigalpa and its surrounding communities pays at least $1.50 each month for a city water connection. But those living in the wealthy areas of the city receive water for up to 10 hours each day, while those living in the very poor communities of Nueva Suyapa and Villanueva only receive water once every 30 days. The residents of Villanueva may spend $26 each month, up to 20 percent of their already inadequate incomes, to buy often-contaminated water from a truck and carry it home. Yet there is hope.
In February 1998, a group of Honduran and U.S. Christians with many years of experience in community development in Honduras formed the Association for a More Just Society (AJS). They had seen that while most development organizations and government agencies focus on meeting immediate needs, these aid efforts often failed because many policies, laws, and unethical businesses don't respect the needs and rights of the poor. AJS knew that real justice in Honduras required work at the macro-level of government policy and legal matters.
In Nueva Suyapa AJS began locally, researching water issues and educating the residents. The community elected a new water board, repairs were made, and distribution was increased to a few hours once every 15 days. Then AJS turned to injustices of the broader system, organizing a delegation representing various segments of the community that went directly to the national water company, SANAA, to present a petition. After a year of negotiations, the national company has agreed to nearly all the proposals made by the community and AJS, including pumping more water to the area, improving the distribution network, and assigning a water engineer locally.
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