AYUDA PROJECTS

  1. Installation of Water Tanks - It has been the custom, among the poor in this community, to procure barrels from industry – barrels that formerly stored chemicals – rinse them out and store the drinking and washing water for the family in them. Needless to say, the chemicals often permeate the barrel and cannot be gotten rid of by rinsing them out. Therefore, AYUDA has installed over 100 2500 gallon water tanks (with pumps) at various homes to replace use of the barrels. They have many requests for more. A local plumbing company provides the tanks at wholesale cost; the Sisters of Charity provided $1000 per tank and UTEP Center provided $500 per tank to cover the cost; AYUDA provided the labor for the installation. This has made a huge difference in the environmental health of the families lucky enough to get the tanks. In return, the families sign a contract to give AYUDA some volunteer hours helping with other projects.

  2. Lead Poisoning Prevention Program – AYUDA surveyed 1,200 homes to check for lead poisoning [ a computer program chooses the areas to be surveyed and volunteers go door-to-door asking survey questions]. Doctors from Texas Tech then go to the homes where it is suspected the children are at risk for lead poisoning, to test the children; if it is verified that they have been affected, free treatment is provided.

  3. Nutrition Classes – are provided by AYUDA for the San Elizario Senior Center, for the Pueblo Indian Senior Center nearby, and at Senior Centers in Clint and Fabens.

  4. Food Bank – for the community: once a month bags of food are delivered.

  5. Aerobics Classes and Karate Classes – for the community are held weekly at AYUDA.

  6. GED – classes for the community are held periodically at AYUDA.

  7. A Rehabilitation Program to repair homes - in lower El Paso County is held once every year, during the summer, in conjunction with group work camps of children from all over the US. About 200 children, age 14-18, attend the camp each year for one week and repair houses. AYUDA and the Camp foundation provide the materials and supervise the children in their work; the children are housed at the local high school. This year they repaired 87 homes; this is the 4th year of the program.

  8. Building new homes – AYUDA has built, so far, 5 brand new homes for community members; three of them were for seniors.

  9. Installing Septic Systems – AYUDA has, with permission of and inspection by the local health department, installed between 500 and 600 septic systems thus far. They had some funding from EPA, a little from UTEP, and a little from Sisters of Charity for this project. They dig the hole for the tank and the trench, haul and line the bottom with gravel or shredded tires, and install the tank and lines to code. Included with this is education for the community on why septic tanks are much preferable and better for the environment than more primitive methods of waste disposal that were (are) in use.

  10. "Agua para Beber" Water Purification Project – AYUDA educates their community on the dangers of unpurified water, and teaches them how to purify with Clorox, or by boiling the water; they also teach basic hygiene. This program has been in place for 5 years, and each year about 200 families are reached.

  11. Weatherization Program – for local homes, where volunteers from AYUDA winterize and insulate local homes so the people won’t have to waste money on light and heat, and in turn waste resources.

  12. Environmental air and water quality program – Since 1996 AYUDA has provided training for the community on how to improve air and water qualit6y. They teach the locals not to burn their trash (such as batteries and tires), not to have a cesspool near a well, but instead to install a septic system – and not just because the health dept. says so, but because it safeguards their water, etc.

  13. Women’s Programs, in conjunction with the Thomason Hospital – Mamograms, pap smears, menopause classes, teen pregnancy prevention, etc.

  14. The UTEP Energy Center Test Pilot Project – this is a SECO (Solar Energy) project, whereby AYUDA volunteers teach their community members to heat water and purify it by means of the sun, in containers provided by UTEP and SECO, thus making it safe to drink. There is also emergency purification by means of chemicals ( in case of flooding, etc.) This program was begun in Dec. of 2002 and has been shown to 40 families thus far.

Adults and Youth United Development Association, Inc.

P.O. Box 2017, San Elizario, TX 79849

Ph: 915.851.0272; Fx: 915.851.5266; Email: flmeAyuda@juno.com