El Salvador: VICTORY! COFOA leaders celebrate access to clean water in Soyapango

“There are seven people in my family who have been living without water. Because COFOA fought every day, even during the quarantine and floods, we now have hope that this well will deliver water again. We are very grateful.” – Marielos, Conacaste resident

Prayer, pressure, and persistence have paid off and more than 2,600 families in Soyapango will soon have clean water. After a one-year campaign of meetings, press conferences, protests and community actions, the President of ANDA (the public water authority in El Salvador) joined COFOA leaders on July 31 to announce that the well that has been closed for twenty years will be open again.

With the support of COFOA organizer, Karla, thirty amazing leaders sustained organizing efforts even through the quarantine. As a result, this community in Soyapango will have clean water. Last October, hundreds of families gathered and identified clean water as their number one issue. In November, people testified before the city council and the mayor that they had been receiving water service once every eight or nine days for years even though they were charged for a month’s service.  In February, they organized a protest and national press conference at the ANDA offices. After their meeting with ANDA and the mayor in March, the situation became even more severe as families were quarantined and did not have access to clean water. Finally, in July, the president of ANDA met with the community and announced the re-opening of the well.

While continuing their organizing efforts on water, land titles and other improvement issues, COFOA leaders in Soyapango and other communities are still collecting and distributing food to families in greatest need.  See more here. Thank you for your support and congratulations COFOA leaders!