Paola San Martin (IF'11)
Paola San Martin
Honduras
Mi Escuela Saludable SWASH+
“My academic and professional experiences have provided me an invaluable opportunity to meet different people and understand the communities and environments in which they live. Despite this exposure, I still need to build the skills to critically understand and analyse the beliefs, customs and experiences of people in these communities to be able to adopt and initiate relevant programs for positive change in their contexts. The iLEAP International Fellowship will help to to do this”
About Mi Escuela Saludable SWASH+
Mi Escuela Salduable SWASH+ has supported over 23,000 children from Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala, by providing better water supply, sanitation and hygiene education conditions in schools. One in four schools in Central American does not have adequate water or restroom facilities and SWASH+ is actively changing the face of this issue. With a focus on personl hygiene education and improved water sanitation infrastructures through the support of CARE, Catholic Relief Services, Water For People, local governments, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the Coca-Cola Foundation, school environments are becoming safer and healthier for children and teachers. Because of the work of SWASH+, dropout and absenteeism rates have improved, disease rates are dropping, and learning capacity is increasing.
About Paola
In 2001, Paola began work as environmental technician with the Department of Environmental and Water Control of Honduras, meeting requests for environmental licensing and auditing, inspecting waste facilities, material extraction companies, and textile companies. She helped prepare environmental plans for businesses and was in charge of creating reports on their success and feasibility. In 2004, Paola worked as a private consultant in environmental studies of the textile industry, supervising local companies maintenance and industrial and water wastes. In 2006 she began work with Water for People Honduras in working with local rural governments and analyzing water and sanitation projects, putting them into operation, and gauging their success. Paola worked with Betancourt Engineering Consulting Company BEINSA in 2008, continuing her work creating and measuring success of environmental protection measures and advocating for support from government agencies and donors. Currently she works with Mi Escuela Saludable SWASH+ and the Millennium Water Program as a technical assistant, supporting program coordination, technical support for implementation partners (including CARE, Catholic Relief Services, and Water for People). Paola has been active in the construction of SWASH+ infrastructure in over 150 schools, along with working with local officials to establish a health and hygiene plan of action.
