Email

Print

In Belize City where we take water supply for granted – it’s hard to imagine that getting running water in a school compound would be used. But in rural areas, running water is a big deal – and it’s nearly impossible to run a school without it. And that’s why the administrators and students at Julian Cho Technical High School in Punta Gorda took it upon themselves to acquire and build their own water system.

They didn’t do it alone, the hired a contractor and the students put in their own hard labour, what the development experts call “sweat equity.” For the school which previously had to pump water in from a remote reservoir – they now have a well on their own property and as the principal and area representative underscored at a ceremony on Saturday, its cause for celebration.

School Principal,
“Today we are so happy that we are having this new water system inaugurated. And it is going to benefit our school tremendously in terms of agriculture and production, livestock production. Our students now have safe potable water to drink. Our vendors will use safe water to cook with and more than that, our school as it continues to grow will have the amount of water it needs to sustain itself.”

Hon. Juan Coye, Area Representative
“The newly built water supply extension to this high school again is another indicator that Toledo is getting its fair share.”

Social Investment Fund Representative,
“This project is a Basic Needs Trust Fund Project. It cost a total of $236,000. It was funded 80% grant from the Caribbean Development Bank through the Basic Needs Trust Fund Program and 20% counterpart funding by the government of Belize.”

The school also has its own pig rearing and farming programmes. Julian Cho held its first commencement exercises in 2001.