Water Promoters

WATER PROMOTERS

Water promoters are the key connection to sustaining our work. They help us provide clean water to more than 150,000 people daily. They support communities in clean water education and water committee training. They also install and maintain CWFW water purifiers in the communities.

  • Identify communities in need of a water purifier.
  • Accompany communities by educating them on benefits of clean water and maintaining the water purifier.
  • Install water purifiers and train water committees on purifier maintenance.
  • Monitor numerous purifiers throughout the year.

In the words of our water promoters, to be a water promoter goes beyond the simple definition of “to promote.” Water Promoters go beyond promotion, they train, orient, and educate community members about what it means to use the water well and not waste it. It’s more than drinking clean water. It’s making sure that there is good hygiene by washing one’s hands or one’s cup before drinking out of it. It’s informing, conscious-raising, and training those in charge how to use the water purifier and maintain it

GUATEMALA

Hello, my name is Jorge Luis Castro León, currently reaching 60 + 2, I am originally from a Municipality of a department in the eastern part of the Country of Guatemala, “USUMATLAN, ZACAPA”, by profession Todologo. (Rural health technicians, Bachelor of Science in Health, Technician in rural aqueducts, 10 Semesters in the degree of Agriculture Universities Landivar, Administrator of Small and Medium-sized Businesses (Intecap), Administration course University of Bowi, Merylan USA Course of Cooperativism and training of Peasant leaders (Republic of Panama) , Diploma in Social Pastoral (Itepal Colombia), Among others.

Work in the Guatemalan Ministry of Public Health in the preventive area, for 20 years, being the strongest activity working in processes of Introduction of Drinking Water (Rural Aqueducts) and Latrinization, for 21 years I provided my services in Caritas Pastoral Social of the Diocese of Quiché, where for 16 years I was coordinator of the Drinking Water Program and 5 years I served as Director of the said Organization. In 2015, I assume the services as President / Director of the Organization “ASOCIACIÓN UNIDOS POR LA VIDA” “ASUVI” where I currently provide my services. My unit with CLEAN WATER FOR THE WORLD, began around 2012 approximately, with the intention of being able to complement the gravity water systems to provide safe water to the families of the communities. Currently, the process with this organization is more structured and with clarity where we want to go with this proposal to guarantee the consumption of safe water to families in the rural area of ​​the department of Quiché and other parts of Guatemala. In this process we have the unity and support of: Four colleagues from the Association’s Water team, as well as the close support of Manager Krista Dover. In this space we have had the opportunity to complement and share experiences with colleagues from this activity in the Republic of El Salvador (Luis and José), as well as in this time of solidarity in this project I have had the opportunity to meet the founders and The company where they manufacture water purifiers in Michigan USA:

My name is José Calel Pantó, 57 years old. I am originally from the Mirador Chontalá community, in the municipality of Chichicastenango, Quiché, Guatemala C.A.

My educational background is: 

  • Primary School – Indigenous Communal National School of the municipal seat of Chichicastenango, 
  • Secondary School –  Middle and High School studies at the Latin American Evangelical Institute with extension courses, based in the Capital City of Guatemala, with a focus on being a Professional Expert accountant.

Labor History:

  • Lineman A of the Rural Electrification Plan 2 “INDE” (1982 to 1991)
  • Voluntary health promoter of the Ministry of Public Health (1991 to 1997).
  • Volunteer Health Educator of the Health Pastoral of the Diocese of Quiché. (1993 to 1996)
  • Health educator of the Drinking Water program, from Cáritas of the Diocese of Quiché. (1996 to 1998)
  • Drinking Water Technician of the Drinking Water Program of Cáritas Pastoral Social of the Diocese of Quiché. (1998 to 2015)
  • Field Technician of the United for Life Association. (2016 to date)
  • Third member of the Board of Directors of the United for Life Association. (2014 to date)
  • Water Promoter, For Clean Water For The World. (2014 to date)

I am Miguel Ambrocio Pérez, 48 years old, originally from the community of Panchún, in the municipality of Joyabaj, department of Quiché. I studied through sixth grade in my community. Most of my Youth I spend working on the South Coast, on a coffee farm, cutting coffee. In 1995, in 1997 I trained as a Health Educator at the Marist Center of Chichicastenango, Quiché, Guatemala C.A. In a program created by Sister Barbara Ford, in the Drinking Water Program of the Cáritas del Quiché Social Ministry. In 1998, I started working as a Health Educator for the Drinking Water Program at Cáritas Pastoral Social, where I worked for 17 years. In 2012, Clean Water for the World gave us the opportunity to install 3 water purifiers in rural communities in the department of Quiché. In 2017, I began to collaborate voluntarily in the United for Life Association, as a Health Educator, installing and monitoring Water purifiers. I had the opportunity to socialize and share experience on the installation of water purifiers with the water promoters in San Salvador, and with People from the University of Toledo, USA. I am currently a Health Educator and Water Promoter at the United for Life Association.

Martín Morales Salazar, 27 years old, was born in the community of Tululché, Tercero of the municipality of Chiché, Quiché, Guatemala. academic career. The primary is carried out in the Official Rural Mixed School of the Tululché Canton Third from the year 2000 to 2005. From first to third basic it is carried out in the Guatemalan Institute of Radio Education IGER in the years 2006 to 2008. Diversified in the Bilingual Intercultural Normal School, It is located in the departmental capital of Quiché in the year 2009 to 2011. I graduated in 2011 as a Teacher of Bilingual Intercultural Primary Education. Laboral life. I started working from October 2012 to 2015 in Cáritas Pastoral Social, of the Diocese of Quiché. 2016 I started collaborating in ASUVI QUICHÉ to date. With Clean Water for the World, I began to collaborate from 2014 to date, we continue to support communities that do not have purified water.

EL SALVADOR

José Rodolfo López Flores, I was born on February 12, 1961 in the city of San Tecla, the primary was shared between Santa Tecla and the population of Zaragoza of the same Department of Liberty, until the end of my third cycle in 1977, later I made studies of Night Baccalaureate at the José Damián Villacorta National Institute of Santa Tecla and because with my work I paid for my studies and helps my family.

For the year 1980, after having finished my baccalaureate studies, I entered the National Administration of Telecommunications ex ANTEL, as meritorious, that is, learning about telecommunications without pay, then in 1981 I was appointed as a messenger, the job was delivery of telegrams, appointments and customer service.

Within my family life I got married in 1983 and we have a son who is currently living in Dallas Texas, United States.

After a good time I got married again and thanks to GOD we have with my wife two children and a stable marriage.

Despite my commitments, I took away from my studies for 8 years, but I did not give up and by 1987 I would enter the University of El Salvador, a car accident truncated the possibility, that did not take my spirit away To continue, a year later in 1988, I enrolled and started my university studies in Journalism, taking the job along with it, an effort that I crowned graduating on December 13, 1996.

Among the journalistic activities that I developed are: having worked for 4 years in the Communication Department of former ANTEL, as editor, master of ceremonies and photojournalist, I also worked in seasons as a reporter for the extinct Radio Cadena YSU, Radio Cadena Cuscatlán and Radio National, still active.

After the Telecommunications Institution was privatized in 1998, I became part of the commercial area to date.

Since 2009 I am a volunteer of the Clean Water For The World Organization, thanks to the remembered Benedicto Ciuffa, who was also a member of clean water, leaving in me a legacy of social responsibility, how I should help my neighbor in the communities and School centers through the installation of water purification systems donated by said organization, volunteering on a free day after work.

Likewise, I involved my father Juan José López (in the photo with me above) of pleasant remembrance, who taught me the technique of how to embed the water purifying systems with wooden dowels in the painting, nowadays we volunteer it with my family, we have already 11 years of experience with clean water, helping communities in need of purified water, thanks to the friends of Aguas Limpia for their unconditional support.

When a delegation arrives in El Salvador with a project for the communities, we also take on the task of setting up interviews with radio and television media, where the director of the organization makes the population aware of the benefits of said projects.

My name Luis Aristides Aguillon was born in 1962 I was born in La Palma Chalatenango. After my basic studies I emigrated to the capital San Salvador where I continued my studies and worked, I am married to Margarita and I have 3 children I work with the CIS Center for Exchange and Solidarity and With Clean Water For the CWFW world I have been a water promoter for 9 years.

HAITI

Jean J. Maurisset; was born in the town of Croix-des-Bouquets Haiti in 1983. He went to public school in that same town both at primary level and secondary level. In 2005, Jean begins to study civil engineering at the university of GOC in Port-au-Prince Haiti. 2 years later, he had to quit because he could not afford the expenses associated with that study

The same year, which was 2007, that he left the university; he went to participate in a high scrutiny contest organized by the USAID and George Town University in collaboration with the Haitian government. He competed against more than 2500 contestants but only 27 of them were selected for a scholarship to go to study in the United States. In 2009 Jean graduated with the highest honor from Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton WI with an Individualized Associate Degree in environmental studies with emphasis on water and wastewater management. In May 2018, he received his Bachelor Science degree and his Certificate in Community Leadership from Madonna University.

Jean joined the Boy Scout association of Haiti in 1994. As a member of the association, he got involved in a lot of volunteering activity in the community of Croix-des-Bouquets. So while studying in the United States, he also got involved in a lot of volunteering activities including Habitat for Humanity, and cultural exchange with school children at Gegan Elementary School in Menasha WI.

At the end of the year 2008 while still in the US, Jean met with a member of the organization of Friends of Haiti Inc. (FOH) who then introduced him to the board of FOH.  Since then he remain connected with them and also participated in many of their work activities at their warehouse in Green Bay WI. In July 2009, Jean returned to his home country Haiti where he believes his skills and expertise were most needed. Few months later after his arrival in Haiti, Jean began to work with a mission group that came from Saint Margaret Mary Church of Orlando FL. He was in charge of installing and promoting the use of Bio-Sand water filters in the rural area of Jacmel Haiti. Then, he worked for a shipping company and then for Save the Children after the deadly earthquake that strikes Haiti in 2010 as water quality technician.

In late 2010, he was called by the Board of FOH to assist a delegation that came to do volunteer work in Thomazeau Haiti. The founder of Clean Water For the World (CWFW) was also part of that delegation. That’s how he got involved with CWFW. During that trip, they installed the first three CWFW units in three different locations in the area of Thomazeau Haiti. They are: Ecole Saint Anne, the community of Merceron and the community of Joanneau. Six months later, following the departure of the delegation he got recruited by FOH as in country project coordinator and at the same time he became the water promoter/technician for the CWFW in Haiti. Up to present, he holds his position with both CWFW and FOH in Haiti.

Currently, the world is dealing with the pandemic of COVID -19 so that does affect our activities here in Haiti as well, but as water promoter for CWFW, we continue to do our best to keep our units up and running so the people that are heavily depend on them can continue to have clean water for their uses.