The community of Los Robles in Jinotega, Nicaragua, is home to approximately 2,000 people. Due to the lack of a proper wastewater and sewage system, most families resort to building basic latrines—simple pits in the ground with a cement or wooden seat on top—while others practice open defecation.
Located near Lake Apanas, the community relies on the lake’s water for agriculture and fishing, their primary economic activities. While there is a drinking water system sourced from two wells in the nearby mountains, water is distributed to different sectors by day and hour, with families paying a fixed rate to the local water and sanitation system.
Why don’t families have toilets?
The answer is complex, ranging from extreme poverty to generational customs.
- Of 31 families surveyed until 2024 by the Homes for Good project, 100% of the families did not have a decent toilet facility.
- 65.5%, equivalent to 19 families, do not have a toilet, so they relieve themselves in fields, other houses or improvised holes.
- 27.6% equivalent to 8 families have a latrine in poor condition.
- 6% equivalent to 2 families have a toilet in poor condition.
- In the survey carried out with 31 families, the most common responses were:
- 94.7% due to the bad economy.
- 5.3% do not have enough space.
In addition to the environmental pollution caused by open-air waste, there is a deeper cultural issue—the understanding of hygiene passed down from generation to generation. Teaching children the importance of a clean and safe hygiene system can instill dignity, build self-esteem, and help break the cycle of unhealthy behaviors inherited from the past.
In 2024, Comunidad Connect launched a project in Nicaragua aimed at improving health and sanitation for families in Los Robles. The initiative seeks to promote human dignity and provide security for those lacking access to safe and sanitary toilet facilities.
During the pilot phase, two families will receive biodigester latrines. Stay tuned for updates, testimonies, and results as this impactful project progresses!