Member Profile: Aguayuda

Aguayuda's mission is to improve health and life in poor rural communities through clean water and education.

Since our inception in 2006, Aguayuda has installed and repaired windmills, implemented pipelines, installed rain harvesting systems, repaired water storage tanks, built laundry washing stations, maintained a water truck sponsorship program, and created four educational manuals on essential health topics. These accomplishments have provided 3,900 people in Colombia and Costa Rica access to clean water on a daily basis.

The following is a summary of the completed project costs:
Barra del Colorado, Costa Rica: The project cost was $12,300 and was financed by Agua Solutions, Rain Harvesting Ecotank, Nature Air, La Baula Lodge, and individual donors. The technical solution was the implementation of three rainharvesting systems. The projected was completed in March 2011.

Comején, Colombia: The project cost was $8,000 and was financed by individual donors. The technical solution was the repair of a windmill, older water basin, and water storage tanks. Additionally, Aguayuda handled the installation of a new water distribution system and the construction of a new water basin. The projected was completed in March 2011.

El Pájaro, Colombia: The project cost was $14,200 and was financed by the International Foundation and individual donors. The technical solution was the installation of a windmill. The projected was completed in March 2009.

Ramonero, Colombia: The project cost was $15,700 and was financed by Grace Lutheran Church and individual donors. The technical solution was the installation of a windmill and a laundry washing station and the repair of a water storage tank and water basin. The projected was completed in March 2009.

San Rafael, Colombia: The project cost was $560 and was financed by individual donors. The technical solution was the repair of a water storage tank and a delivery of water-truck sponsorship program. The projected was completed in July 2010.

Santropel, Colombia: The project cost was $3,100 and was financed by individual donors. The implementation of a water distribution system was the technical solution. The projected was completed in March 2009.

For more information please visit: http://www.aguayuda.org/Eng/Completed/Completed.cfm

In 1975, Simón Zimmer, one of the founders of Aguayuda, was born in Bogotá, Colombia. His biological family was poor and had to make the difficult decision to give him up for adoption when he was 6 months old. He was adopted by a loving German family living in Maryland, USA.

Not until Simón turned 25 did he ever think about going back to Colombia to discover his roots. But once the idea was set in his mind, he did everything possible to go back to Colombia. Between 2003 and 2005, he served 2 years in Peace Corps in Honduras accompanied by his girlfriend and future wife, Sabrina. In late 2005, Simón and Sabrina visited Colombia for the first time. After 6 weeks of being in Colombia, they found his biological family after 30 long years. It was an amazing and joyous reunion and it was at this moment that Colombia became Simón's second home. A few months later, with the support of Art and Linda Zimmer (German Father and Stepmom), the inspiration for Aguayuda (Agua = Water, Ayuda = Help) was born.

Why Water?
Art is an expert in water filtration and evaporation technologies with over 35 years of experience as a chemical engineer. Through Simón and Sabrina's experience in Honduras, they learned firsthand about the importance of access to clean water. As they started to research and learn more about the global water crisis, the shocking statistics inspired them to address the need for clean water worldwide.

Fortunately, there are many types of appropriate water solutions that can be implemented in communities to solve this growing water crisis. However, the real challenge is to make the water solutions sustainable and provide clean water for years to come. The key aspect to maintaining sustainability is to accompany these water solutions with a strong educational component. This includes training a local water committee how to operate and maintain the water solution as well as providing educational workshops that focus on essential topics that help improve the people's quality of life.