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The Newton/San Juan del Sur Sister City Project, of Newton, Massachusetts, near Boston, is planning a three-part program, primarily aimed at the reduction of parasites in the drinking water in six small communities, around San Juan del Sur.

Among other things, a total of more than 200 water filtration devices are to be installed in the communities of San Antonio de Ostional, Tortuga, Las Brisas, La Nevada, Miravalle, and San Geronimo.

2006 research, conducted by a Harvard University medical student, has shown that as much as 85 per cent of the population in some of these areas are infected with one or more common parasites, according to the plan co-written by David and Margaret Gullette, who have had previous successes with projects in Nicaragua.

While those suffering from parasitic infections can be cured with medications, they can also be quickly re-infected by contaminated water and poor hygiene, thus the thrust of the program.

For the year-long campaign the purified water will come from installing 208 “BioSand” filters, one in every home in the six communities identified. The device uses “slow sand filtration” to trap and eliminate 100 per cent of parasites and viruses and 96 per cent of E. Coli bacteria from contaminated well water, according to manufacturer.

The plan also calls for hygiene education and anti-parasite medication. While medicine can be distributed though co-operation with local health officials, the education component poses some unique challenges.

“Pigs, for instance, are often considered members of the family, and sometimes have free run of the house,” according to the statement from the Sister City Project.

“Repetition, persuasion, and the help of Promotoras de Salud,” will be used to hopefully overcome such cultural differences, said Mr. Goullette, in an interview conducted via e-mail.

The Sister City Project itself was founded in the 1980’s by a group of peace-and-justice, and religious people, who, as Mr. Goullette puts it: “wanted to show solidarity for a country that our country was beating up on.”

The grant awarded to the project, $14,000 (US), came from the Conservation, Food and Health Foundation, of Boston, which lists among its goals to improve and promote health in the developing world.

“It (the project) demonstrated a need, an opportunity, enthusiasm, some organizational capacity, leadership, a track record, scale, volunteers, […] and provided evidence that it is a thoughtful and passionate organization,” said Prentice Zinn, of Grants Management Associates, the firm that oversees the foundation, via email.

At the conclusion of the one-year program, the results will be evaluated, and with the anticipated success, the group will seek more funding to expand the project to more communities.