Improved Health for Puca Chicta, Ecuador

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Background

The Puca Chicta community is inhabited by the Kichwa indigenous people and is located 45 minutes east of Tena, a well-known tourist destination in the Amazon region. The Kichwa are a large indigenous ethnic group that spans the Andean countries. The individual communities are largely autonomous, but share a common language and culture. A majority of the Kichwa have converted to Christianity, although many retain much of their traditional beliefs, including shamanism and knowledge of medicinal plants.

The area consists of subsistence farms that grow bananas, plantains, cacao, yucca, and maize, surrounded by rainforest. There are approximately 25 families, with a total population of about 250 people: 100 children, 100 adolescents, and 50 adults. Many of the children attend a local school.

A recent medical study has shown that the children in the village of Puca Chicta have ongoing parasite problems likely caused by drinking river water contaminated by upstream communities. The community believes a local spring may provide clean drinking water, if a storage and distribution system is provided. They requested help in pumping the water to an elevated storage tank and then piping for distribution within the village. This is a very common design in Ecuador.

Teaming With Yanapuma

The Ecuador-based NGO, Yanapuma helped the Community of Puca Chicta become recognized by the Ecuadorian government in 2007, allowing them to be eligible for government assistance. The Ecuador Sustainable Projects team is excited to be working with Yanapuma in the Puca Chicta community to improve health through providing better water and sanitation infrastructure. The Ecuador team also worked with Yanapuma previously in the low-sierra region, west of Quito, building a six-stall compost toilet for the Abraham Calazacon School in Bua.

Site Assessment Trip

Trip Objectives

A team of 6 individuals traveled to Puca Chicta in July 2009 to meet the community and understand their water-related concerns and needs. The team had the following objectives for the trip:

1. Water Quality/Quantity Assessment

• Water quality testing on existing water source and all potential new water sources

• Flow monitoring on existing water source and all potential new water sources

• Evaluate existing water distribution system  

• Evaluate all possible sources of water contamination (including leaking septic tanks)

• Determine water usage/demand

2.Health Assessment

• Observe day-to-day activities as they relate to health, such and hygiene and cooking methods

• Observe general conditions of the community and households for cleanliness and potential for spread of disease

• Obtain knowledge of cultural customs as they related to health and spread of disease

• Gather information on typical illnesses and their frequency in the community

3. Survey and Mapping

• Perform site survey

• Map existing distribution system from the river to the community  

• Take GPS points of houses and important structures in the community  

• Record locations of major roads and paths and major and minor waterbodies 

• Record land uses in the surrounding areas

4. Build Rapport with Community

• Conduct meetings with community to discuss trip and project objectives

• Meet with community leaders and establish main contact persons for the project

• Participate in community events

 

Trip Outcome

The assessment trip was a success; all planned trip objectives were met and the Portland Professionals Team authored a Memorandum of Understanding with the Puca Chicta community that was agreed upon and signed by both parties during the trip. Currently the Ecuador team is reviewing and analyzing the data in order to determine the most appropriate next steps to move the project forward. The first objective is to determine the root cause of the health problems associated with the community residents. Poor water quality of the existing water source was initially thought to be the primary cause of illness in the community. By reviewing and analyzing the results of the water quality testing and health assessment, the team hopes to gain insight on the underlying health problem in the community.

Current Work

The team is currently reviewing data obtained from the site assessment trip to gain insight on the underlying health problems in the community. Once this has been done, the team will work through an alternatives analysis to determine the appropriate solution. This project was initiated due to the perception that poor water quality was the main cause of illness in the community. If the data collected in the field suggests otherwise, the nature of the project solution could also change. Stay tuned for updates as the team works through these issues.