Rosa Elena Rios and her family are go-getters. They work hard and take advantage of every opportunity, but living in a very rural community, opportunities can be rare. When presented with the opportunity to have running water and a Modern Bathroom in their home, Rosa and her husband set their minds to raising the needed money.
Our house was made of old wood, and it had a straw roof. It was falling over. My husband, Marvin, and I worked hard to clean up the house. To be honest, we were so excited at first about the house, improving our health because of the clean water and bathroom became an added bonus."
Last year, during a routine Amigos health check, Rosa and her family were re-tested for parasites. She was surprised to find that her two sons, Jeferson (11), and Marvin (7), still had parasites! “Our 2-year-old, Estaci, tested negative, but we were shocked to see that they boys tested positive,” she said. When the Amigos health team consulted with the Rios family about the persistent parasites, they discovered that the family was continuing to use their old latrine. This, combined with the boys playing barefoot in the yard, allowed the cycle of parasites to continue.
“We immediately destroyed our latrine with Jon Eddy, our Amigos Community Advocate, and filled in the hole. Now the boys wear their shoes every day!” The most recent parasite test revealed that all of the Rios children are now parasite free. “We are so lucky! Even my nieces come over to use the bathroom!”
The combination of a trusting relationship, improved education, clean water, and a Modern Bathroom have drastically changed the lives of the Rios family. Seeing her children healthy and happy makes Rosa smile. “Look at how healthy my boys are. How tall! They will be taller than Marvin and me so soon. I am so blessed!”
