Water Charity

Community Description
Maseysini is located on the main road between Mahamba and Nhlangano. The area of the community this project will affect is a close-knit section on top of a hill.

The nearest water source for this area of the community is in the garden, fifteen to twenty minutes away. The water source is small hole made dirty by cows, and people frequently get sick from the water. The homesteads in the area collect water daily, but rarely garden or keep animals because of the labor required to obtain water for these projects.

Project Description
This project is to drill a borehole in Maseysini.

The project will be implemented under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Lauren Cuddy Egbert.

The work will be done by the most reliable drilling company in Swaziland, Manzi Drilling.

The borehole will be placed on the homestead of the Ndima family, headed by Make Angelina Ndima who is a primary school teacher and a resource for many families in the community. (It is not possible to put the borehole on communal land because the costs of electricity and maintenance cannot be undertaken by the community at large.)

The Ndima family will run the borehole on their electricity and charge each homestead 15 emalangeni a month (about 1.50 USD) to access the tap. This small fee will cover the electricity costs of running the borehole. Because this water source will be privately run, the family will be able to set aside money for electricity and maintenance.

Project Impact
The borehole will be used by at least ten homesteads, and will benefit upwards of seventy people.

Comments
This is an important project for the community. It utilizes the appropriate technology under the circumstances, and provides a solution for sustainability within the means of the participating families.

To contribute for the project, please click on the Donate button below.

Any contributions in excess of the Dollar Amount of Project will be allocated to other projects in Swaziland.

The project, comprised of a 10,000 liter water tank and an 8-faucet handwashing, was designed to provide a steady source of water for two buildings at the school. In actuality, much more was accomplished.

Chelsea reports:

After just five weeks, two masons and a total of 120 parents successfully completed the construction of a 10,000 liter ferro-cement water tank, an 8-faucet handwashing station, a 4-faucet handwashing station, and all the required piping/tubing to make it a rain-water catchment system.

With extra materials and three days left of work, the masons were able to install the extra 4-faucet handwashing station, which was not in the original plan.

With the help of Water Charity in the first phase of this project last year, we were able to install a water storage tank, a water basin, and a rainwater catchment system. This system is still in use in one of the three buildings of the school.

The 10,000-liter tank was constructed at the building located at a higher elevation between the other two, and therefore has tubes that run the water from the tank to the other two schools that have smaller water storage tanks.

With the help of Water Charity, the school has experienced a miraculous transformation. The first phase of this project really motivated them to do more for their school, thus allowing this second phase to take place.

Now, upon the completion of this second phase, the three school buildings all have access to water. The teachers were trained to practice daily hygiene with their students each day. Each class was then trained by their teacher when and how to properly wash their hands and brush their teeth. Furthermore, the teachers decided to require each student to bring soap, a towel, a toothbrush, and toothpaste, so that they can incorporate these daily hygiene practices into their class schedule. The participation of the teachers in this project was a very rewarding aspect of working with this school.

It has been an amazing experience watching the transformation of the school’s water system. A year and a half ago, the students were bringing 2-liter bottles filled with well water from their homes to fill metal barrels that held the school’s water. Now, not only do they have the infrastructure to allow for increased access to water but also the education needed for healthy living and sustainability.

Once again, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you to Water Charity and Michael and Carla Boyle for helping fund this project. Your support has completely transformed a rural village’s elementary and middle school’s sanitary infrastructure as well as the employees’ participation in identifying the needs of their school and creating solutions to acknowledge their needs.

We are grateful to Chelsea for completing this project as she ends her Peace Corps service, and we wish her the best.

Community

Cajolá is a town of 16,000, located in the department (state) of Quetzaltenango. 93% of the people are Maya Mam. The Mam are one of the largest Maya groups of Guatemala, and still speak their own language.

Cajolá was founded more than 500 years ago. The name means “Son of water” because of the rivers. 25% of the people live in the central, urbanized section while the other 75% live in the outlying rural area. 41% of the residents are less than 15 years old, and many are unable to attend school. Agriculture is the most important economic activity.

The community is located less than 10 miles from a nearby city that was deeply affected by the devastating 7.2 earthquake that shook Guatemala and killed dozens of people in November, 2012.

The culture of Cajolá is very traditional. Sadly, Cajolá has a very high poverty index, 94% of the people live in poverty, 57% in extreme poverty (which means that there isn’t enough to eat each day). Half of the children are chronically malnourished. 69% of the people are illiterate, 77% of the housing is in bad condition, 41% of the houses are overcrowded, 49% lack potable water, and 46% lack sanitary services.

Project

Location
Twenty latrines will be built on the property of the participating families deemed most in-need of sanitary infrastructure in the municipality of Cajolá. They are families that currently have no access to a latrine or toilet.

Building standards indicate that the latrine must be located far enough from any well or water source so as not to risk contamination. Each latrine pit will be at least 8 meters deep, and will not interfere with any other water source or construction.

Group History and Family Selection
In April, 2012, Health Center workers approached the municipal leaders about forming womens' groups to educate the community in preventive health. Hogares Saludables groups were formed in May, 2012, and have met 12 times to receive health classes and plan and develop this project.

Participants took part in the Hogares Saludables Preventive Health course. The groups elected their own leaders, who decided on the graduation requirements of the course (that the same family representative must attend at least 8 of the first 10 classes in order to graduate the course).

Together, the Health Team and Conejos Communitarians de DeBartolo de Cajolá (COCODE) designed this project in order to educate and empower the participants.

It was determined that 20 latrines and 20 concrete floors would be built for the 40 families of Canton Xetalbiljoj who upon graduation of the health course, were found most in-need.

Womens' group leaders approached the municipal government to request financial support for the project in October, 2012. From October to December, 2012, Health Center Staff, COCODE, the Peace Corps volunteer, and womens' group leaders collaborated to visit the houses of each family who graduated the course to complete the Plan Para Vivir Mejor diagnostic and give each participant guidance on how to improve the health of their family.

The families who met all project requirements were prioritized by Health Center Staff, and the 20 neediest families who lack a latrine were selected.

Participants are of Maya Mam descent, and the majority of group members are single mothers or widows. 94% of the municipality falls below the poverty line, and the project includes many of the poorest families of the entire community. These families live in sub-standard housing with very little income, and struggle to keep food on the table.

Technology
This construction of pit latrines will be carried out according to the recommendations of Peace Corps Guatemala staff. The model is sometimes referred to as the “Peace Corps Guatemala, Healthy Homes Model.” A specific design is utilized and the masonry workers are trained using the designated manual. In mid-March, 2013, mason workers will participate in two days of training on this particular latrine construction.

Steps to be Taken
The year of educational health courses has already been completed. Project design and management has been led by Peace Corps Volunteer Kathryn Lee, and supported by community health worker Julissa Garcia (Tecnica en Salud Rural) and community leaders Arnulfo Vail (COCODE de Caserio Los Vailes), Juana Melchor (Presidenta de Hogares Saludables), and Efrain Vail (Secretario de Asociacion APROEM).

Julissa Garcia will lead the purchase of materials from collaborating hardware store Ferreteria Colima, and families will receive the materials only upon completion of excavation of their latrine pit and providing their share of the materials.

The latrines will be built by masons who have been trained in the Peace Corps-approved design. Each family will be responsible for digging the latrine pit to a depth of at least 8 meters.

The masons will construct the “casita” or house of the latrine, consisting of the floor, walls, seat, roof and doors.

The masons will coordinate with the families to have all latrines constructed within three weeks.

Kathryn Lee will lead a team of health workers through house visits to ensure that the construction was completely satisfactorily and that the family is well-educated in the use and maintenance of their latrine, as well as reminded of the proper handwashing and hygiene techniques necessary to achieve a decrease in incidence of diarrheal disease.

Use of Water Charity Funds
The Water Charity funds will be used to pay the qualified and trained masons. They will also be used for materials, including wooden frames, toilet seats, sheets of zinc laminate for walls and roof, and nails.

Beneficiaries

209 people will benefit from this project, comprised as follows: Age 25+: 26 Male, 31 Female. Age 15-24: 8 Male, 20 Female. Age 0-15: 63 Male, 61 Female.

The Water Charity participation in this project has been fully funded, through the generosity of Michael and Carla Boyle, of Nelsonville, OH, USA.

You may continue to contribute using the Donate button below. Any contributions in excess of project amount will be allocated to other projects directed by this PCV and/or projects of other PCVs in this country.

Itiúba is a town of about 10,000 people in the state of Bahia in the North-East region of Brazil.

Picos Village has over 106 families, comprised of 450 inhabitants. It suffers from a lack of an adequate water supply, especially during the dry season.

The project will be implemented by Instituto Diamante Verde (IDV) under the direction of Rosângela Araújo, Vice President. Under Rosângela’s direction, IDV previously completed the Gregorio Ferro-Cement Tank and Rainwater Catchment Project – Brazil and the Ponta Baixa Ferro-Cement Tank and Rainwater Catchment Project – Brazil.

IDV is an active nonprofit in the region, having completed a total of 9 rainwater catchment systems. In addition, they have engaged in a number of educational, environmental, social service, business generation, and cultural programs. They also participated in the construction of a school, road improvement, and a new health post.

The Colégio Estadual Agrário Soares de Araújo, located in Picos Village, serves over 160 children, youth, and adults in three shifts morning, afternoon and evening. It suffers from extreme water shortage in trying to satisfy the needs of the students and staff for drinking, cooking, sanitation, as well as gardening, especially during the dry season.

This project is to construct two ferro-cement water tanks for rainwater collection, each with 30,000 liter capacity.

The area for the tanks will be cleared, and steel frames erected. Pre-molded concrete plates will be fabricated, fitted, and cemented in place. Additional layers of cement will seal and finish the tanks.

Gutters will be fabricated and attached to the school building. Piping will connect the gutters to the two tanks.

The skilled workers who successfully completed the two prior projects will again be responsible for the implementation of this project. It is anticipated that construction of the tanks will take two weeks.

Water Charity funds will be used to purchase the materials, including cement, sand, rebar, sealant, pipe, fittings and fixtures, wire, zinc sheeting, and wood. The money will also be used to pay for the skilled labor.

Because of the emergency need to immediately begin to collect rainwater during the current rainy season, IDV has raised sufficient funds to start the project. They have already bought the materials, and starting the digging, with machinery procured from the municipality.

Chlorine will be provided for maintenance by the municipality. IDV will provide a seminar on maintenance of the system and various public health subjects.

The project will provide an ample supply of safe water for all of the needs of the 160 people attending classes at the school.

$0.00 - This project has been fully funded through the generosity of the Elmo Foundation.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and funds will be used for similar projects in Brazil.

Under the leadership of Peace Corps Volunteer Lyzz Ogunwo, a latrine was built for the elementary school in Teugue-Ndogui. It now serves 90 students, teachers, and people living in surrounding households.

To date, we have helped 200 Peace Corps Volunteers in Senegal to better serve the communities in which they live. Please help us do more.

In July, 2012, Darlene became Country Director of Peace Corps Mongolia!

Darlene has had an amazing career as an author, researcher, professor, motivational speaker, and singer, leading to this current stop on her journey. In December, 2012, Darlene gave an inspirational presentation at TEDxUlaanbaatarWomen. Enjoy this video of her talk.

The project was to build a rainwater catchment and storage system in Ponta Baixa Village, Itiúba City, Bahia, Brazil.

Rosângela reports:

In December 2012, the Instituto Diamante Verde´s project "Água para Vida" built and delivered two more ferro-cement water tanks, of 20,000 liters each, in the village of Ponta Baixa, Itiúba, Bahia.

Both are full thanks to the rain that fell in the second half of January 2013.

The collection of water is being carried out by gutters around the roof of the Colégio Estadual José Francisco dos Santos, incorporating 100% of the catchment area of the roof.

The decision to construct two tanks of 20,000 liters each, rather than one with a 40,000 liter capacity, was made by technicians in order to expand the effectiveness of the gutters and piping.

The tanks are being maintained by the college administration. Water for consumption is being treated with chlorine, offered by the municipality.

All 120 families who live in the village of Ponta Baixa are receiving benefit from the project.

The IDV thanks Water Charity and its donors for enabling the construction of an important system which will change in the lives of the residents.

We are grateful to Rosângela and to IDV for completing this terrific project, and are pleased to have played a part.

Community Description
La Primavera is located in the department of El Quiche, Guatemala. The population in 2010 was 3,044 inhabitants.

The center of Primavera consists of a market, a Catholic church, a health post, and the school which is separated into three buildings. Since the main part of the center is the school, it plays a major role in community organization.

Within the school there are a total of 14 teachers, 420 students who attend elementary school in the morning and 74 students who attend middle school in the afternoon.

With over 400 homes within Primavera only 33% have running water. The water committee has been working hard to try to increase this percentage, but has faced difficulties due to the costs involved. Other community organizations include “Parents of the Students”, “Committee of Community Development”, and midwives.

With the help from Water Charity, under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Chelsea Leroux, the school was able to complete the La Primavera Water Project – Guatemala. The rainwater catchment system, incorporating a Rotoplas water tank with a water basin, now provides water for one of the buildings. This project gave the teachers and director of the school motivation to continue improving the water situation in the other buildings.

Project Description
This project is to provide a steady source of water for two buildings at the school. A 10,000 L water tank and an 8 faucet handwashing station will be built.

The tank will be built on top of a one-meter block of stone, so that it sits higher than the two buildings (it already sits at a higher elevation so the extra meter will help with the gravity).

The next step will be to connect this water tank through tubing buried in two trenches that run from the tank to the two buildings

Finally, four ONIL water purification tanks will be installed in order to supply safe drinking water to the students.

The project is being implemented in partnership with Agua Para La Salud, a local NGO that has assisted many communities in Guatemala for almost 2 decades.

The community will dig the two trenches (80 cm in depth) to the two buildings before construction begins. The community will also contribute sand, rock, gravel, wood, and 3 mason helpers each day of construction for five weeks. In addition, the community will provide housing and three meals a day to the mason.

The materials will be bought and transferred from a well-known hardware store in Nebaj, El Quiche and should take three trips.

The construction should take five weeks, with one professional mason who has done this project several times in the past and three mason helpers from the community.

Project Impact
There are 508 beneficiaries of this project, plus parents who utilize the facilities during celebrations and holidays.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Chelsea Leroux

Comments
The ample supply of clean water will improve the health and wellbeing of students and faculty at the school. The handwashing station will be a great resource for the students to start practicing proper hygiene at an early age.

The Water Charity participation in this project has been fully funded, through the generosity of Michael and Carla Boyle, of Nelsonville, OH, USA.

You may continue to contribute using the Donate button below. Any contributions in excess of project amount will be allocated to other projects directed by this PCV and/or projects of other PCVs in this country.

This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.