Think of water from a social perspective. A research project in Havana

Abstract

The need to consider water from a social perspective has moved us to develop a cooperation project—funded by the AECID (Spanish Agency of International Cooperation for Development)— with Havana, Cuba. Through this initiative we intend to influence the daily habits of locals in order to minimize inappropriate uses of water within the family environment. We begin with a diagnosis, from which we extract essential topics to work on in the community, in order to change water use in the homes within the municipality of Old Havana, particularly in the neighborhood of JesúsMaría. In this process of change, different activities are designed to be implemented at the municipal and group levels, since the Cuban society has an important organizational structure at both the community and individual levels. Thus, we highlight the role of women in the task of water management and consumption. Through this project we design education strategies which —from a social, educational, and environmental analysis, as well as theoretical postulates—allow the transformation to become a reality in the participants’ territory.