How We Work

1. Contact local organizations that may assist Aguayuda in finding suitable communities
   
   
2. Visit potential communities
• Spend time in the community getting to know the people and their perception of the community's need
• Through observation and testing determine the current status of the water situation (e.g. quality, quantity)


3. Choose the community according to the following criteria
• Establish that there is a need for a water purification system
• Assess the desire of the community to improve the present water situation
• Evaluate the community's infrastructure
• Consider the organization of the community (e.g. Does a committee exist? Who would lead the community in this venture?)
• Evaluate the safety aspect for Aguayuda's employees and volunteers
• Determine the required capital investment and the availability of funding
• Appraise Aguayuda's capability to provide the best solution to the problem


4. Select the most appropriate water purification technology for the community
• Ultraviolet Radiation
• Ozonisation
• Chemical
• Microfiltration
• Ultrafiltration
• Nanofiltration
• Reverse Osmosis
• MSF Evaporation
• MVR Evaporation


5. Prepare the project
• Establish a budget for the project
• Determine the funding method (e.g. provided all or part by Aguayuda, the community, government agencies)
• Engineer and design the system
• Procure the equipment, material and tools for the water purification system
• Prepare an operation manual for the water committee
• Prepare educational materials according to the specific needs of the community


6. Integrate into the community
• Develop a plan of action and a schedule with the community for building the water purification
  system, education of the community and specifying the operators
• Establish a community water committee
• Establish a community education committee
• Obtain the equipment, materials and tools
• Staff and/or volunteers will live with the community until the project is completed in all aspects


7. Educate and train the water committee
• Explain how to operate a water committee effectively
• Explain the operation of the water purification system to the operators and the committee
• Build the water purification system with Aguayuda's guidance and support
• Prepare a schedule of the maintenance procedures of the water purification system
• Verify that the water purification system works properly and that the operators are comfortable with their responsibilities


8. Educate and train the education committee
• Explain how to operate an education committee effectively
• Teach the water, health and recycling topics using the manuals provided
• With Aguayuda's supervision, education comittee provides workshops to the community