Water
“Brookline Sister City’s support for our seven potable water systems has been very beneficial and a blessing as it has provided us with this vital liquid —- water— for the well-being of our families. Thank you for your unconditional support and your commitment, Brookline brothers and sisters, who have provided this support to Quezalguaque from your hearts.” Mayor Henry Sandoval
Brookline-Quezalguaque Sister City Project (BQSCP) invested over $100,000 in improvements in 7 rural water systems in the municipality of Quezalquaque. These systems provide approximately 70% of all water to residents. Substantial improvements were made to the rural water systems’ infrastructure (i.e., deep wells with motorized pumps, water storage tanks, electrical grids and other equipment) and to water quality, resulting in improved accessibility to cleaner water for the people of Quezalquaque. Throughout the rural water initiative, BQSCP worked together with the mayor’s office in Quezalguaque, the International Rotary Club (that contributed an additional $30,000), Brookline’s Rotary Club, the local Health Ministry in Quezalguaque, ECODES (a Spanish NGO working in Nicaragua on water system improvements), and the Center for Research in Health, Work and the Environment at the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua in Leon.
Community potable water and sanitation committees that oversee each of the rural water systems received continual training and technical assistance throughout the project, as did the Water & Sanitation Unit in the Mayor’s Office in Quezalquaque. The rural water system improvements in Quezalguaque have been lauded by the Health Ministry in Nicaragua.
Library
Sister City provides funds to train library staff. Including in the training was how to read to groups of young people. The photo is a staff member reading to children in Cristo Rey, one of the sites of mobile library visits.
The original library was built in 2003. Currently funds from BQSCP are helping in the renovation of the building including a new roof.
New ceiling, lights and fans have been installed.
Library staff and other town officials admire the new the reconstructed roof.
Art Classes
For many years BQSCP has funded art classes for students. Below is a recent project.