Belize Social Network

The tank, which forms part of the upgraded Santa Anna Village water system that will provide a sufficient and continuous supply of potable water to the community

TOLEDO DISTRICT, Belize -- Today, 90 households now have access to running water in Santa Anna Village, a poor Maya community in Belize’s remote Toledo District. 

Unlike years past, there is no fear that the pipes will go dry, leaving mothers and children to trek to the nearby Moho River to fetch untreated water to meet their families’ daily needs. 

The turnaround for the villagers, 46 percent of whom live below the poverty line, has come through an intervention by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and government of Belize that upgraded and expanded the village’s rudimentary water system. 

The project was supported by financing of US$287,000 from a Social Investment Fund II (SIF II) loan from CDB; a US$14,000 contribution from the government of Belize; and US$13,000 in labour from the Santa Anna Village community. It was inaugurated on Friday, January 29, during a ceremony attended by officials from the government of Belize and members of the community.

“We are a proud partner in the upgrade of the Santa Anna Village water system, which has the potential to improve the livelihoods of the more than 500 residents who live in the community. The rehabilitated water system reflects our experience of the progressive results that can come from closely working with governments and communities towards the common goal of reducing poverty and providing essential resources in poor and vulnerable communities,” said Nigel Blair, operations officer, CDB.

The 20-year-old water system that provided just 5,000 gallons per day for the community has been upgraded and expanded. It is now supplied by a 20,000-gallon capacity tank to which households, the community health post, churches and the Santa Anna government school are now connected.

In the farming community, where the population is 90% Kekche Maya and 10% Mopan Maya, a new water system expands opportunities in agriculture. Villagers now have the opportunity to boost their incomes closer to home, a welcomed alternative to seeking employment outside the community to cover basic expenses such as housing, utilities, education and health.

Students at the Santa Anna government school, particularly adolescent girls, will also gain access to better bathroom facilities through the project. In addition, girls will also be able to stay in school longer, instead of having to stay at home to help with water-dependent household chores.

“It is a great feeling knowing more than 500 of my fellow Belizeans here will now be enjoying clean potable water, a continuous supply due to the newly constructed Santa Anna Water System,” said Erwin Contreras, minister of economic development, petroleum, investment, trade and commerce, Belize, during the inauguration ceremony.

Training in water system management, operation and maintenance from the ministry of labour, local government, and rural development, and the Belize Social Investment Fund formed part of the project. The training component aims to ensure the system is kept running efficiently.

CDB’s SIF II loan finances improvements in living conditions in poor communities in Belize. In 2011, a SIF II loan of US$15 million to the government of Belize was launched. Under this project, CDB lends the government of Belize resources to be made available to Belize Social Investment Fund (BSIF) on a non-reimbursable basis, for use by the Fund to finance social and economic infrastructure, social services and organisational strengthening sub-projects in poor rural communities.

Combined with US$5.5 million and US$1.6 million committed to Belize in the seventh and eighth cycles of CDB’s Basic Needs Trust Fund respectively, the funding continues to support projects in education and human resource development, water and sanitation improvement, and basic community access and drainage improvement across the country