Clean Water Project

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to provide clean and safe drinking water for the Nuevo Progreso "posta medica".

Description: The villages in the District of Fernando Lores collect their water from the Amazon River or from contaminated wells. APECA was asked to help the community of Nuevo Progreso find a way to have clean drinking water. Nuevo Progreso is approximately 15 minutes by fast boat downstream from APECA's “El Fundo” field headquarters, outside of Tamshiyacu

When an APECA/University of Connecticut Dental Campaign was in the village one of the preceptors took time to look at the problem. When he returned home he took the initiative to raise money through the Rotary Club of East Hartford, Connecticut, for a rainwater catchment system at the "posta medica". Using materials purchased and transported by APECA and with the assistance of Pablo Guerra, community volunteers built and maintain the catchment system. Now, collected rainwater is stored and treated, providing a source of clean, safe drinking water for the medical clinic.

Reforestation Program

Purpose: Through a school based program, trees are planted to produce a high quality building material and firewood to be used instead of old growth rainforest material.

Description: Believing that prevention is the best and most effective approach, APECA is sponsoring a program of education and practice for the local villagers. Presently, when villagers need wood for building where do they go but to the old growth rain forest? The problem is that they have to go further and further to find trees suitable for the poles that they need which is adversely affecting the rainforest.

Our school based program is showing them that by planting they can produce a high grade building material as well as firewood for cooking. Initiated in the primary school, the teacher uses the land dedicated by the community as the site for each child’s planting of trees and palms. When the child is of the age that he needs materials to build a house he will have the trees. In the meantime, the palms will produce roofing material that each can choose to use or sell. As the fronds are harvested they are replaced by new growth.