From June to August 2014, the author worked with an organization in Goyena, Nicaragua to address a chronic kidney disease epidemic. The author sought to understand hydration and drinking water access issues by leading community meetings, producing informational brochures, and working with youth to develop communication strategies. The project objectives were to understand the causes of the epidemic, assess hydration and water quality access, evaluate intervention options, and plan a long-term water improvement strategy. The involvement of the kind, humble, and hopeful community was essential to the project's success.

1. From June to August, 2014, I worked with an organization that
promotes health, education and social justice in the rural
community of Goyena, near León, Nicaragua. Targeting two
main etiological theories of a regional chronic kidney disease
epidemic, I sought to understand and improve both hydration
and safe drinking water access. The involvement of this
community’s kind, humble and hopeful people was essential to
my project’s success.
Outcomes
• Led meetings and produced brochures to disseminate
information on hydration, water quality and water treatment
options
• Worked with community’s youth brigade to develop
communication strategy for improving water-related health
• Long-term plan for continued action
Project Objectives
• Understand causes of CKDu
epidemic
• Assess hydration and water
quality access in rural village
• Evaluate most effective
intervention options for
community
• Plan an effective long-term
strategy for improving quality
and quantity of drinking water
consumed
One of the many sugarcane fields surrounding
Goyena, in which most of its men work
Leading an information session comparing
point-of-use water treatment methods
León, Nicaragua
JOHN HARE-GROGG | B.N. Duke 2016
B.A., Environmental Science & Policy; Global Health
Lessons
• Importance of leadership and organization for effective and
efficient use of resources
• Influence of surroundings on my own sense of ability
• Language as a barrier… or a connection
• Precedence of day-to-day needs over long-term ones
• Indispensability of close relationships and cultural ambassadors
when adjusting to new environments
Seeking to live, and commute,
like a local
Methods
• Semi-structured oral survey of 30 community members (with
analysis ongoing)
• Reviewing research on effective approaches to water
improvement