Suds away!

Sun, sea, savannas…and skin irritations. Until recently, this was life for the people who live in the Ibans Lagoon in La Mosquitia region of Honduras along the Caribbean coast.

Trouble in paradise
Washing your laundry in deep blue lagoons whilst your children splash happily in the cool water around you might sound idyllic. In reality, however, the harsh chemicals from detergents were polluting the water and causing health problems for the locals who used the water for bathing. Children also ran the risk of catching parasites from playing in the water.

The answer? Laundry stations.

Coming clean
With the help of Tearfund partner Agency for the Development of the Mosquitia (MOPAWI), the community in Mosquitia built laundry stations each housing four or five wash basins and scrubbing grids. Water is supplied from rainwater collection tanks in the rainy season or from a well in the dry season, with wastewater being drained into a filtration bed. ‘The laundry places are great,’ says Paola*, one of the women benefitting from this new initiative. ‘One of the men in the village, Juan**, maintains it perfectly for us. If anything happens to the well or the pump, Juan fixes it straightaway.’

Split the cost
All the families who use the laundry stations contribute towards the cost of fuel (for the pump) and maintenance. The laundry station in Paola’s village also has dogs protecting its precious facility.

‘Thieves wouldn't dare steal our grill plates,’ challenges Paola.

With Juan’s maintenance, the dogs’ protection and the women’s enthusiasm, the laundry stations are set to revolutionise washing and bathing in Mosquitia for many years to come.

PLEASE PRAY

• Praise God for the big changes that small enterprises, such as laundry stations, can bring.

• Pray for Tearfund partner MOPAWI to be able to reach more communities with life-enhancing, health-giving laundry stations.

• Remember remote places, such as the Mosquitia region of Honduras, in your prayers, knowing that God wants us to reach every corner of the earth with his love.

*Name changed to protect identity
**Name changed to protect identity

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