SJC Marks 20 Years of Service in Guatemala with Major Clean Water Initiative

Saint Joseph’s College of Maine (SJC) is proud to announce the 20th Anniversary of its transformative work in Guatemala. In 2003/04, the College launched its first International Service Trip to Haiti. Two years later, in 2005/06, it sent its first team to Guatemala. (At that time, Haiti and Guatemala were respectively ranked as the poorest and second poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere.) Since then, nearly 700 students, faculty, staff, and alumni have traveled to these sites during their Winter Breaks to serve those living in extreme poverty.

The College’s commitment to these trips is a clear expression of its identity as a Mercy institution. Rooted in the Corporal Works of Mercy—including feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, and caring for the sick—these excursions embody the “mercy-in-action” mission of the Sisters of Mercy.

“Accompanying students on these trips has been the single most fulfilling experience of my professional career at St. Joe’s. It is an honor to be part of the transformation they experience by working alongside those living in extreme poverty. I love that I get to use science to improve the lives of our sisters and brothers in need.” Camilla Fecteau Bridge, MS, Biology Instructor, Lab Coordinator, and Chair of the Sciences Department

“I’ve been involved with these International Service Trips from the very beginning. While sometimes the work is daunting and the conditions difficult, I am continually inspired by both those who volunteer as well as those whom we serve. These trips are inherently rooted in love: love of God and love of neighbor.

When the world might otherwise feel dark, divisive, and broken, they provide the perfect reset. They never fail to strengthen my faith and to restore my hope for humanity.”  Dr. Steven Bridge, Professor and Chair of Theology

Working in collaboration with Partners in Development, the SJC teams have made tremendous impacts. They have constructed medical clinics, pharmacies, educational buildings, community centers, small business hubs, and dozens of houses. They have also provided dental and medical care to thousands of patients, assisted child sponsorship programs, and distributed an estimated 15 tons of humanitarian supplies.

Celebrating 20 Years in Guatemala with a New Mission: Clean Water

To honor this 20th Anniversary, Saint Joseph’s College is launching a major partnership with the Sawyer Foundation. Last year, the teams transported, assembled, and distributed 50 table-top Sawyer water filtration systems to the Ixtacapa region of Guatemala. Thanks to a generous $25,000 Sawyer Grant, this year’s goal is to expand the gift of clean drinking water to 500 families–an estimated 2,500 to 3,000 people.

This latest initiative will begin this Winter Break, when two teams of 20 participants will provide essential training and perform compliance check-ins with existing users. A key component of the project involves training local PID staff to ensure the program’s long-term sustainability well after the SJC teams depart. (With proper use and care, each filtration system can supply clean water for an entire family for up to a decade.) Furthermore, the College will use this opportunity to investigate the impact of clean water on parasite infections and begin the development of a rapid water test for parasites, which could improve water safety globally.

As President Joseph Cassidy states, “Our service trips have always been a two-way blessing. While our teams construct clinics and distribute supplies to the local communities in Guatemala, the experience inevitably changes our students, deepening their commitment to justice and service and identifying new career paths that help make a positive impact in the world. This clean water initiative is a powerful, focused way to carry the Mercy mission forward for the next 20 years.“