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Bringing Clean Water, Building Lasting Community
The Honduras Project is a student-led, short-term missions initiative that partners with rural villages in the mountains of Honduras to provide clean, running water. Each year, Wheaton students raise funds to build a gravity-fed water system that delivers fresh spring water directly to household faucets.
What We Do
Over six months of preparation, students work together through:
- Hands-on fundraising projects
- Team-building and community development
- Weekly meetings for worship, prayer, and cultural preparation
During Spring Break, the team travels to Honduras for a week of service and holistic ministry. Students are paired with local work partners to dig trenches, lay and glue pipes, and build water tanks. Through shared work and time in one another’s homes, students and villagers build meaningful, Christ-centered relationships.
In addition to construction work, the team also leads:
- Children’s programs
- Women’s ministry gatherings
- Evening evangelistic services
Local Ownership, Lasting Impact
Before the team arrives, villagers begin work on the system. After the team leaves, they finish construction and continue maintaining the system for years to come—guided by engineers and local leaders.
The Honduras Project provides resources and a week of partnership, but the village leads the way. Our goal is to empower communities to improve their quality of life—sustainably and with dignity.
Why We Go
Though our time in the village is short, it matters. In the shared labor, stories, and hospitality, students and villagers alike experience transformation—growing in faith, understanding, and unity as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Support Honduras Project
The Honduras Project operates year-to-year because of the support of friends, family, and HP alumni. There are two ways you can help support the project: through prayer and through giving.
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Honduras Project: Water Systems
A Sustainable, Low-Maintenance Design
Each village water system is designed by Honduran engineer Arnoldo Alvarez and his team. Built with bricks, cement, and PVC pipes, the system is powered entirely by gravity—no electricity required. Arnoldo’s designs have stood the test of time, with many still functioning decades later.
Where the Water Comes From
Every year, a clean mountain spring is located at an elevation above the village. To protect the water source from future contamination, the village purchases the surrounding land. The spring feeds into a cement collection box with two outlets—one for clean water, and one to drain sediment.
How Water Reaches the Village
Water flows downhill through 3.5-inch PVC pipes, buried about 50 cm deep to protect them from damage. Along the way, pressure is carefully regulated to prevent pipe bursts, using concrete pressure boxes where needed. As the system branches out through the community, pipe sizes gradually decrease to 2", 1", and ¾".
Each participating household receives a faucet with access to clean, running water.
Storage Tanks for Flow & Pressure
Every system includes at least one large storage tank, built above the village. It holds a full day's water supply and helps regulate pressure. The tank is round, constructed with bricks and mortar, sealed with cement, and covered to prevent contamination. If needed, a chlorine drip system can be added for water purification.
What Happens After the Team Leaves
Before the team departs, local men are trained in system construction and maintenance. One is selected as the village water caretaker, supported by a small annual contribution from each household. Extra materials are provided for future repairs. While the system is designed to last 20+ years, Arnoldo’s first build is still going strong more than two decades later.