La falta de acceso a agua potable ha sido una preocupación constante en las comunidades indígenas Wayuú ubicadas en la ciudad de La Guajira. Con el objetivo de reducir el número de muertes relacionadas con la falta de agua potable, se ha llevado a cabo un proyecto para diseñar un filtro purificador de agua específicamente adaptado a las necesidades y circunstancias de estas comunidades. Este proyecto ha tomado en consideración las tradiciones y costumbres de los Wayuú, tanto dentro como fuera del contexto del agua, a través de un trabajo de campo detallado. Para llevar a cabo el diseño del filtro purificador de agua, se ha utilizado una metodología personal que se senta en el análisis y los resultados, que serán de ayuda en la selección, el diseño y el tipo de filtración. Durante el trabajo de campo, se ha realizado un estudio exhaustivo de las tradiciones y costumbres de los Wayuú, con especial atención en su relación con el agua y los métodos tradicionales de filtración utilizados. El filtro, llamado "Ulee Wüiin", consta de dos fases principales para asegurar la máxima purificación del agua. La primera fase, llamada prefiltración, se enfoca en eliminar las partículas sólidas presentes en el agua. Con una altura de 55 cm y una capacidad total de 53 litros, incluyendo los materiales de prefiltración, el filtro puede satisfacer las necesidades de una familia de 12 personas. La presencia del proyecto tiene un impacto positivo en el mercado, revelando empleos y fortaleciendo la economía de Colombia. Asimismo, beneficia a diversas comunidades indígenas en Colombia, México, Estados Unidos, Arabia y África, mejorando su calidad de vida. Se enfoca en minimizar el impacto ambiental durante la producción del filtro y respetar las creencias y el respeto de estas comunidades por la tierra. | Diseñador Industrial | Pregrado | The lack of access to potable water has been a constant concern in the Wayuú indigenous communities located in the city of La Guajira. Wayuú indigenous communities located in the city of La Guajira. In order to reduce the number of deaths to reduce the number of deaths related to the lack of potable water, a project has been carried out to design a water purification a project to design a water purification filter specifically adapted to the needs and specifically adapted to the needs and circumstances of these communities. communities. This project has taken into consideration the traditions and and customs of the Wayuú, both in and out of the context of water, through detailed fieldwork. detailed field work. In order to carry out the design of the water purifying filter, a personal methodology has been used. methodology that is based on the analysis and results, which will be of help in the selection of the design and the type of the selection of the design and the type of filtration. During the field work, an exhaustive study of the an exhaustive study of the traditions and customs of the Wayuú people, with special special attention to their relationship with water and the traditional filtration methods used. used. The filter, called "Ulee Wüiin", consists of two main phases to ensure maximum water purification. purification of the water. The first phase, called pre-filtration, focuses on removing solid particles present in the water. solid particles present in the water. With a height of 55 cm and a total capacity of 53 liters 53 liters, including the pre-filtration materials, the filter can meet the needs of a family of 12 people. needs of a family of 12 people. The presence of the project has a positive impact on the market, creating jobs and strengthening Colombia's economy. Jobs and strengthening Colombia's economy. It also benefits a number of indigenous communities in Colombia, Mexico, the United indigenous communities in Colombia, Mexico, the United States, Arabia and Africa, improving their quality of life. It focuses on minimizing the environmental impact during filter production and filter production and respecting the beliefs and respect of these communities for the land. the land.

Indigenous peoples in Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) are 10 to 25 percent less likely to have access to piped water and 26 percent less likely to have access to improved sanitation solutions than the region’s non-indigenous population. Historically, Indigenous peoples have been marginalized from the development process in their own countries and still suffer discrimination from the mainstream societies today. Oftentimes, Indigenous territories are overlooked or avoided by Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) project planners and proponents given their lack of understanding of how to engage or carry out projects in collective or semi-autonomous Indigenous territories, the remoteness of these areas, and the high associated per capita cost of a potential operation, among other reasons. The significant gap in Indigenous peoples’ access to WSS services, a basic human right that is closely linked to economic and social wellbeing, alongside the lack of established tools in the sector to guide engagement in Indigenous territories, motivated the creation of this Toolkit. The objective of the Toolkit is to provide practical guidance and operational tools to improve the inclusion of, engagement with, and delivery of sustainable WSS services to Indigenous peoples in LAC in order to permanently close the WSS service gap. The Toolkit summarizes the findings of interviews, consultations, and field visits carried out by a multi-sector, multi-national World Bank Team in 37 Indigenous communities located in urban, peri-urban and rural areas in seven LAC countries where the World Bank or other development actors had implemented WSS projects with Indigenous peoples.