Ana (center) and Tomás (second from right) attend the inauguration of the new facilities
Tuesday, May 14th was an exciting day for Agua Escondida Primary School and for Pueblo a Pueblo's Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) in Schools project. After months of planning and weeks of execution, Tomás and members of the Pueblo a Pueblo team traveled to Agua Escondida to celebrate the inauguration of the school’s brand-new bathroom facilities.
Agua Escondida students attend the inauguration Agua Escondida Primary School is attended by almost 600 students from Kindergarten through high school. For years, there had only been five working toilets in the school for students to use. In 2018, Tomás and the WASH in Schools project began a collaboration with the school to design new sanitation facilities and raise the funds necessary to turn those designs into reality!
This spring, contractors tore down a bank of broken, unused toilets and built a new bank of stalls in their place. The girls' side has three new toilets and a handwashing station, and the boys' side has two new toilets, a urinal, and a new handwashing station. These new facilities will double the number of working toilets at the school, creating a safer and healthier learning environment for the students of Agua Escondida — certainly a reason to celebrate!
This spring, contractors tore down a bank of broken, unused toilets and built a new bank of stalls in their place. The girls' side has three new toilets and a handwashing station, and the boys' side has two new toilets, a urinal, and a new handwashing station. These new facilities will double the number of working toilets at the school, creating a safer and healthier learning environment for the students of Agua Escondida — certainly a reason to celebrate!
 New boys' stalls |  New handwashing stations |
The inauguration ceremony began in the school’s large multipurpose room. The walls were covered with posters made by students depicting ways students can take care of the earth and their school.
During the ceremony, school administrators honored Tomás and Pueblo a Pueblo Administrative Director Ana Cabrera. After brief remarks from a variety of school and community leaders, the ceremony moved outside to the new bathrooms, decorated for the occasion by members of a local community group. The school’s principal then invited Ana to cut the ribbon on the new facilities before unlocking the doors so that students could get a look inside.
During the ceremony, school administrators honored Tomás and Pueblo a Pueblo Administrative Director Ana Cabrera. After brief remarks from a variety of school and community leaders, the ceremony moved outside to the new bathrooms, decorated for the occasion by members of a local community group. The school’s principal then invited Ana to cut the ribbon on the new facilities before unlocking the doors so that students could get a look inside.
 Tomás and Ana receive a gift from school administrators |  The principal of Agua Escondida unlocks the new facilities |
Building these new stalls is only the beginning of Pueblo a Pueblo’s collaboration with Agua Escondida Primary School. Next, our team will help to coordinate the reconstruction of a second bank of bathroom stalls in the school’s lower level, home to Agua Escondida's youngest students.
We were able to complete Phase I thanks to donors like you — now we need your help to carry out Phase II! Thank you for believing in the power of proper sanitation to keep kids happy, healthy, and learning every day.
We were able to complete Phase I thanks to donors like you — now we need your help to carry out Phase II! Thank you for believing in the power of proper sanitation to keep kids happy, healthy, and learning every day.
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