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Rio Abajo, Nicaragua

The  village of Rio Abajo, located in  northern Nicaragua was washed away during the flooding caused by Hurricane Mitch.  Through the assistance of the St. Louis  Latin America InterFaith Committee, the village was rebuilt at a higher elevation to protect it from future floods. There are now about 40 homes and a community center for the nearly 200 residents.

The residents get by as  subsistence farmers, growing just enough to  get by.  They have a shallow  well  that provides water, but with a poor long term outlook. The Rotary Club of Des Peres began plans to help  Rio Abajo  and through discussions with the village leaders it was decided that bringing electricity to the village would be the best first place to start.  Electricity would help pump water from deeper wells to be developed later.  Electricity would also help the villagers develop some alternate methods  of producing  income.

Some of the villagers are learning how to sew  crafts, using these treadle-powered machines. An instructor from Washington University will soon be bringing a pottery wheel and teaching residents how to use it.  They  are developing a market in exporting local crafts and art work.

The project to bring electricity to Rio Abajo cost nearly $20,000.  A New Opportunity Grant was applied for and approved to supply approximately 25 % of the funds needed. The remaining funds are coming from the Rotary Club of Des Peres and individual Rotarians of the club, as well as from the Rotary Clubs of Kirkwood,  Overland, St. Louis County, and Webster Groves.

Construction of the power lines began in late Spring 2003 and was completed in the Summer of 2003.

Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Des Peres are planning to travel to Rio Abajo in the fall of 2003 to begin planning for drilling a deep well and installing electric water pumps to provide a larger source of water.

Status: Project completed. Final Report has been submitted and approved. Project Closed.

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