AGUA PARA LA SALUD

Partner in Guatemala providing technical assistance, management assistance and construction management for community water systems.

Lynn Roberts, President Agua para la Salud (APLS) 

Lynn earned his Bachelor’s degree in Biology with minors in Botany and Mathematics from the University of Washington. He was trained as a basic combat medic, medical unit commander in the Washington State National Guard, and served for 16 years. He also spent 6 years working as a Math teacher in the Seattle and Shoreline Public School Systems. In Washington, Lynn has served as a sewer and water district chairman, a library board trustee and a forestland development advisor.

Lynn first moved to Nebaj, Guatemala in 1994. At the time, the people of Nebaj were recovering from the effects of decades of violence caused by the conflict between the Guatemalan government and guerilla insurgents. Lynn founded an organization called COMENSA to provide emergency water systems for returning refugees.

From 1996-2006, Lynn served as the country coordinator for Water for People where he worked more closely with local NGOs to execute water and sanitation projects. Lynn then transitioned to the role of Appropriate Technology Trainer for Peace Corps where he formally capacitated volunteers for two years. Lynn continues to be an advisor for the Peace Corps’ Healthy School and Healthy Home Initiative.

Lynn serves as the representative in Guatemala for Global Water, IRWA and several chapters of Engineers without Borders. As a result of Lynn’s work, hundreds of Guatemalans have been trained in water system design, health and sanitation and hundreds of water system and school sanitation projects have been successfully completed.

In 2010, Lynn was appointed as a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation in 2010 for his work with Rotary Clubs in Guatemala and the United States.

 Agua y Desarrollo Comunitario

Partner in Honduras providing technical assistance, management assistance and construction management for community water systems.

See ADEC's 2011 First Quarter Report >>

 Asociación Salvadoreña de Sistemas de Agua

www.assa.webcindario.com

Founded in 2001, Associación Salvadoreña de Sistemas de Agua’s (ASSA) mission is to work with rural communities, and to build their capacity to provide high-quality water and sanitation services. Their goal is for these communities to become technically and financially self-sufficient.

Executive Director, José Miguel Orellana Portillo

Miguel earned his bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering. He also pursued post-graduate degrees in Sustainable Mountainside Agriculture and Climate Change. He has completed coursework in pesticide use, rural water systems, and a host of other environmental topics. Miguel has served as ASSA’s Executive Director since 2002.

He specializes in program design for social and economic interventions related to the environment. He has worked at the Association of Agriculture and Livestock Cooperatives as a Loan Officer and a Technical Coordinator. He served as a Technical Field Advisor for the El Salvador Corporation for Training and Rural Development. In this position, he was responsible for training former military officers in agricultural and livestock production, commercialization, cooperatives and micro-businesses. He was also in charge of reforestation for the Ministry of Public Works in San Vicente, El Salvador.