CHILDREN, EDUCATION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN LATIN AMERICA: THE EXPERIENCE OF AGUAMIGA/AQUATOX

Despite the continued efforts to reduce the incidence water-borne diseases in Latin America, these have mostly failed due to the lack of knowledge of a majority of the population about the close relationship between water quality and human health. The AQUATOX project, originally formulated by the IDRC and implemented by CEPIS-BS/SDE/PAHO in 2005, aims to promote social consciousness about the importance of preserving the quality of local water sources and how this can contribute to the sustainable development of their locality, country and region. The objectives of the project are therefore closely linked with the UN Millennium Development Goals.

The work gives a good insight into the efforts done throughout the Region to promote local sustainable development through education. Through a series of simple scientific bio-essays, both teachers and children across four country-nodes, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay and now Bolivia, were shown the importance of drinking and using good-quality water. Together with the country-nodes developed with the collaboration of IDRC and CEPIS-BS/SDE/PAHO, each country has had the freedom to implement the educational tool in different ways and through a diverse set of institutions.

The work will present the lessons obtained from the experience and the implications it has for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in the region. An informative video and PowerPoint presentation will be shown, education for sustainable development has for developing countries and the feasibility of AQUATOX (now AGUAmiga) in other developing-world contexts.