Chiapas Water Project holds reunion for supporters

From staff reports

The Chiapas Water Project (CWP) Committee of On The Ground welcomes your presence at a reunion for supporters on Saturday, March 1 at the Old Art Building in Leland from 6-10 p.m. The evening will feature food and drink from local chefs along with a live and silent auction of treasures from regional artists and businesses, as well as artisan goods of Chiapas. Dancing and live music by Tim Sparling and friends will start at 8:30 p.m. There will also be a discussion of successes and challenges of water projects by current staff and board who returned from Chiapas in January.

CWP was founded in 2005 after a group of local residents visited Chiapas, Mexico and witnessed the illness and poverty perpetuated by lack of access to potable water. Compelled to share the gift of clean water, CWP was born in solidarity with the Mayan indigenous communities of Chiapas. All funds raised go directly to material costs for the water projects in Mayan communities struggling for indigenous rights. Since 2005, On The Ground has worked with indigenous communities to build wells bringing fresh, clean drinking water to over 2500 Mayan people in more than seven communities, training 80 community experts to maintain existing systems and create new ones where they’re needed. Continued progress has been with the help of strong supporters and partners who understand the importance of clean water access.

This event is open to the public with a suggested donation to support CWP. The current water project is in the community of El Pradito, where community members live roughly three miles from the spring water source. To learn more about On The Ground’s mission and projects, visit onthegroundglobal.org.

On The Ground’s purpose is to support sustainable community development in farming regions across the world. We accomplish this mission by partnering with other philanthropic agencies, donors, and communities to provide opportunities for indigenous communities around the globe to build lasting infrastructure. In concert with sustainable trading practices by OTG partners, this infrastructure makes it possible for these communities to create real and meaningful prosperity for all their citizens. Learn more about us and make donations at www.onthegroundglobal.org.