Small dams 535
Micro-hydropower unites communities
As the country of Nicaragua recovered from many years of war, people
throughout the country devoted themselves to rebuilding farms, water systems,
schools, and health clinics. But the country was left in deep poverty, and the
government was unable to provide electricity to many rural communities.
The village of La Pita had no electricity, and the nearest power lines were
70 kilometers away. People in La Pita had fought on opposing sides in the war,
and this made it difficult to carry out community projects. But after they worked
together to build a school and a clinic, they decided to bring electricity to the
village as well.
The villagers asked a local group called the Association of Rural Development
Workers-Benjamin Linder to help them electrify La Pita. Because the village
lies close to a river that runs year-round, La Pita was a good site for a micro-
hydropower project. The development workers helped the villagers organize
the project and get support from a small international agency called Green
Empowerment, which provided funds and technical skills.
Community members worked together for many hours to build the small
dam and turbine that now send electricity to 400 villagers. The electricity is
used in people’s homes, the community school, 2 carpentry shops, and local
farms. When the electric plant was installed and running, the community
formed an association to run and maintain the system, making sure everyone in
La Pita benefits. Despite differences people had in the past, electricity and the
responsibility for generating it is now shared by everyone. The small village of
La Pita, far from the national power lines, has its own power.
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012