The Project is designed for sparse communities and uses disruptive and innovative solutions for vulnerable populations (especially women and girls) to have drinking water, by strengthening water resources governance and using self-financing models based on ecosystem services compensation and improved value chains.
Care Peru produced comprehensive alternatives for solving the problems of access to drinking water for the sparse communities in the Peruvian Amazon. With funding from SDC’s Global Climate Change and Environment Programme, Care Peru promoted the Water Governance for Families in Sparse Communities (GOA) project in the Madre de Dios and San Martin regions. It was implemented with the support of the Catholic University Sedes Sapientiae and the Digital Compensation for Conservation (CDC Peru) project financed by BIDLAB. The pilot projects were presented in Nuevo Cajamarca (San Martin region) on Wednesday 11 March, to show their progress and the possibility of scaling up to national level in the future.
The event was attended by the Ambassador of Switzerland to Peru, Paul Garnier; the Director of SDC’s International Cooperation in Peru and the Andean Region, Anton Hilber; the National Director of CARE Peru, Marilú Martens; the Rector of the Catholic University Sedes Sapientiae, Dr. Gian Bapttista Bolis; Alberto Rivasplata Córdova, councillor for the city of Nueva Cajamarca,; and representatives of the Regional Government, the National Sanitation Services Authority (SUNASS) and the National Sanitation Programme (PNSR).
At the welcoming ceremony, Swiss Ambassador Paul Garnier pointed out the importance of the collaboration between the organisations and the support that SDC will continue to provide for three additional pilots to close the safe water gap for households in sparse communities. The national director of CARE Peru, Marilú Martens, highlighted the potential of a project that could improve the living conditions of over 3 million people living in sparse communities. The rector of the Catholic University Sedes Sapientiae, Gian Bapttista Bolis, highlighted the University’s work in offering quality education and in training ethical and socially-committed professionals who contribute to Peru’s growth.
This was a three-day mission. The first day included a field visit to the Sapientiae Catholic University campus, where an open-air fair was held with five stands presenting water-related issues including water regulation, a showcase of the drinking-water treatment system, governance alternatives for sparse communities, health and water, and producers with agro-forestry models that conserve ecosystem services such as water regulation.
The presentations were given by partners including SUNASS, the Nueva Cajamarca ATM, the Pukuni Amazonía community enterprise, CDC Peru project beneficiaries, and representatives of the Nueva Cajamarca Rural Hospital.
On the second day, participants visited the district of Soritor to learn about the experience of one of the beneficiary households of these pilot projects run by the PUKUNI AMAZONÍA community business and visited the water purification systems. The representatives of the agencies took the opportunity to plant trees to promote reforestation.
The mission ended in the city of Tarapoto, where the visitors reviewed the next steps to be taken for the second phase of the initiative.
The GOA project directly corresponds to the four strategies of Switzerland’s International Cooperation 2021-2024: Economics and Development, Peace and Governance, Environment and Human Development; and CARE’s vision 2030: mainstreaming Governance, Resilience and Gender and corresponding to the strategies of Climate Justice and Food Security, Water and Nutrition.
The GOA initiative is self-financing, based on mitigation measures that fund adaptation measures for vulnerable households in the Amazon. By designing comprehensive initiatives for sparse communities, it will pave the way for innovative solutions to water and sanitation problems using a territorial, inclusive and governance approach.
.
Through initiatives like this, Switzerland reaffirms its commitment to support inclusive system changes for a water-secure world in which people can safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of water of acceptable quality to sustain livelihoods.
SDC’s Global Water Programme contributes to sustainable water and sanitation management for all and promotes solutions that ensure rapid action in terms of more sustainable financing, innovative technologies and service delivery and water management models.
CARE Peru reaffirms its commitment to the sustainable development of all communities, especially vulnerable ones, so that everyone can have access to the same opportunities.
Source: CARE Perú
