Biosand Filter Project – Haiti

The biosand filters being used for the project are HydrAid BioSand Filters, manufactured in Michigan. The project includes technology, research, installation, education, maintenance, quality assurance and support through a global network of partners.

The HydrAid system is founded on proven biosand water filter technology that has been effectively used around the world for decades. When properly implemented, it filters out 99.9% of the parasites, bacteria, and viruses from dirty water. It is effective in the control of diarrhea, one of the most deadly waterborne diseases, which is estimated to cause 1.5 million child deaths per year.

The biosand filter utilizes specified layers of gravel and sand of specific grades and sizes. In addition, it is topped by a biological layer which assists in the purification process.

The biosand filter is easy to install, delivers high volumes, requires little maintenance, and produces clean water for up to 10 years.

Water Charity began evaluating and using the technology in specific long-term applications, starting in 2008. When the earthquake struck in Haiti, it became evident that HydrAid filters would be the ideal tool for immediate use in the relief effort, especially in light of the close proximity of Haiti to the US mainland.

Various agencies and organizations came together to develop a plan to produce, deliver, and install HydrAid filters in Haiti. The original HydrAid design was enhanced for disaster relief with additional disinfection technology by Amway engineers. The procedure called for treatment of the water, first with chlorine, and then additional filtration through a carbon filter. An important addition was the inclusion of a receptacle for storing the clean water. The additional disinfection serves a number of purposes, including further reduction of pathogens, elimination of the waiting period before the filter can be used, and reduction of the possibility of re-contamination of the treated water.

Amway teamed up with the Safe Water Team, a West Michigan nonprofit organization, Thirsting to Serve, a Michigan Rotary group, and Triple Quest, a Joint Venture of Cascade Engineering and Windquest Group, to supply HydrAid filter systems to Haitian schools, clinics, and other earthquake victims.

The delivery process got underway when a truckload of 22 skids of HydrAid filters, complete with filter sand, was shipped to Jacksonville, Florida. The U.S. Navy then transported the filters to Haiti. The NGO Pure Water for the World is handling the distribution and installation in Haiti.

Your donation towards this project will be used in its entirety for the purchase of the filters, the ground transportation, and the installation of the filters in Haiti.

Flash:  Every dollar you donate will be matched by Six Senses Resorts & Spas!

Choquechampi Reservoir Project - Bolivia

Bolivia has been badly affected by climate change. Many areas have been dependent for drinking water and agriculture on runoff from the melting icepacks in the mountains. The warming climate has resulted in a large decrease in the available water.

The construction of reservoirs has proven to be an effective way to provide life-saving water to needy communities. Water is saved during the rainy season and used as needed for drinking, household use, and irrigation of crops. The use of reservoirs has been shown to double or triple crop yield, in communities that are presently barely surviving.

Nuevo Mundo organizes community residents to participate in all aspects of the reservoir project. Local farmers provide hundreds of hours of volunteer labor, and contribute a percentage of the project cost, as well as locally available materials. There is also financial participation by the municipalities.

If you wish to donate money specifically designated for the Choquechampi, Bolivia, reservoir project, please click the Donate button below. 100% of your donation will go directly toward the completion of the project.

Community Aqueduct – Dominican Republic

The community is made up of 74 houses and 242 people. The community has a church, baseball field, two local stores, and a cooperative. The water source is presently used for bathing, drinking, and domestic use.

The project is being administered by Peace Corps Volunteer Andrew Gibbons, in collaboration with the community.

An older water system in the community became inoperative when there was a landslide, which destroyed the tank and much of the tubing. The community is taking precautions to prevent future landslides by placing gabions at the source, and planting trees and bamboo.

The project plans includes building a new intake tank, replacing the majority of the old tubing, and installing new tap stands at the homes of the beneficiaries.

The community is contributing the labor and some funds, amounting to 57% of the total budget.

The community has formed a governing body, the Water Committee, to oversee and organize every aspect of construction, including labor and movement of materials.

As part of the project plan, the Water Committee will write statutes, collect the monthly quotas as well as any other funds, request materials from potential donors, and write contracts for beneficiaries. Thus sustainability is ensured.

Water Charity has advanced the final funding necessary to allow the project work to begin.

$0.00 - This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts and Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

Any additional donations using the Donate button below will be used to fund other projects by this PCV and/or other PCVs in this country.

This project has been completed. To read about the concusion, CLICK HERE.

Conclusion of Community Aqueduct – Dominican Republic

This project has been completed under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Andrew Gibbons. To read about the beginning of this project, CLICK HERE.

The project called for a new community aqueduct to be built to bring potable water from a small spring 1 kilometer away to houses of the village of Los Cacaos.

The pipe line was dug and the suspended river crossings were completed. The intake tank was built, followed by a reserve tank. A small pump was installed, pipes were run to the homes, and faucets were installed.

This was a tremendous community effort, incorporating the entire village, the water committee, and various funding sources. As a result, 242 people now have access to safe water.

A letter from the water committee expressed gratitude for the money that went to construct the aqueduct. We again wish to thank Six Senses Resorts & Spas for providing funding for this project.

Community Garden Project – The Gambia

It is being supervised by S. Summerhill, Peace Corps Volunteer, working with Packalinding Madina Kanbeng Kafo, a registered association, certified to operate since January 2009.

The association selected the project to help unite the community, address malnutrition, and alleviate poverty. In addition, it will foster food security within the community.

The project will bring variety to the diets of the villagers, and generate income for those who work in the garden. The principal beneficiaries will be the women who take part in the process.

The work will be done by volunteer members of the community. Project funds are being used for materials and other resources.

Water Charity is pleased to participate in this project. Once underway, we will keep you updated as it progresses.

You can indicate your desire that your donation be used for this project by clicking on the Donate button below.

Community Garden for People Living With HIV – Botswana

According to the 2008 Botswana AIDS Impact Survey, the Boteti Sub-District has an HIV Prevalence of 14.6%. A recent report by the Rakops Primary Hospital stated that there are 1,520 active HIV positive patients registered in the village hospital and clinic.

For people living with HIV and participating in antiretroviral therapy (ART), personal care and positive living are obvious requirements to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

There does not exist a local source of nutritious vegetables, as the nearest grocery store is two hours away. Furthermore, those in need do not usually have the resources or time to tend their own gardens.

The Leretlhabetse Support Group (LSG) is a community group that serves those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. They have identified a key objective of serving the People Living with HIV (PLHIVs) community with cost-free vegetables as an immediate means to prevent suffering and death in the community. They have further recognized that educating beneficiaries on proper food preparation is essential to maintain the nutritional value of the crops raised.

This project is to assist the LSG of Rakops, working in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture and Peace Corps Volunteer Alexandria Price, to implement a vegetable garden and vegetable preparation class for PLHIVs.

A plot of land has already been acquired, and the total commitment and support of the community has been achieved. The initial crops to be raised will include rape, choumoellier, onion, tomato, carrots, cabbage, beetroot, spinach, green peppers and garlic.

The Vegetable Garden will provide nutritious food to PLHIVs, LSG members, and home-based care patients. The project is sustainable, in that 20% of vegetables will be sold, with the proceeds used for the maintenance of the garden.

As part of a larger community effort, Water Charity is participating in the project by providing for the irrigation of the garden and the toilet facilities. Included are a 5,000 liter plastic tank for the collection of rainwater, piping, and fixtures.

The project contains the key elements of gardening training, the actual implementation of the garden, and food preparation training. This will assist PLHIVs and caregivers in maintaining healthy lifestyles. Accessible to over 1,500 people, and delivering services to about 70 people at a time as needed, it is an extremely cost-effective means for serving a critical need in the community.

This project has now been fully funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Volunteer Alexandria Price of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Alexandria and/or those of her counterpart PCVs in Botswana.

Community Health Hut Construction Project - Senegal

Our first two health post projects have been undertaken under our Appropriate Projects initiative. They are:

• Thiewal Lao Health Post Well Project, under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Maggie Pavelka
• Fodé Bayo Health Hut Well, under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Amanda Wybolt

This project is for the construction of a new health hut in Southern Senegal. The plans were underway for this project when Water Charity joined on to complete the funding, so we are only helping with a small amount to be allocated to the water and sanitation parts of the construction.

Under the direction of Peace Corps Olivia Kenna, this project will serve the immediate health needs of four rural villages in the area as well as provide a place for dialogue about health issues faced by this community.

A knowledgeable community health worker will run the health hut, consult with patients, and prescribe medications from the village pharmacy when appropriate. In urgent or complex cases, patients will be referred to a larger health clinic in the area.

The community health worker, in collaboration with the Peace Corps Volunteer, will also conduct workshops on local health issues, organize monthly baby weighing days, and arrange visits by the health clinic nurse to the community health hut for vaccinations and pre-natal consultations.

The participating villages will contribute 3,000 red clay bricks made by hand from local sand and mud, as well as the help of a local mason. The community participation is 28% of the project cost.

To make a contribution for this project, click on the Donate button below. Any amount donated in excess of our participation will be allocated for future projects of PCV Kenna and/or projects by other PCVs in Senegal.

Community Latrine Project - Panama

Panama is an international business center, and has the largest economy in Central America. However, this community is extremely poor, without resources for basic needs. Presently, the people often defecate in the river, which is also used as a source of drinking water.

This project is being directed by Peace Corps volunteer Kathleen Fraser.

The design of the concrete latrine floor includes handles so that when the latrine fills, the floor and seat can be lifted and used in a new location, hence, its benefits will be reaped for decades.

Project funds will be used for materials for the project.

The community contribution is 46% of the total cost, and consists of labor and transportation of all materials. Supplies are transported from locations an hour away by horseback or on foot.

Community participation is also ensured by charging each family $5 to participate.

The project will serve 160 people.

Throughout the duration of this project, Peace Corps volunteers will give a series of educational seminars to teach participants about the dangers of waterborne illnesses and ways to avoid them. Families that participate will have access to clean latrines, improving the health of their families and the water quality in the community.

This project has now been fully funded through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Volunteer Kathleen Fraser of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Kathleen and/or those of her counterpart PCVs in Panama.

This project has been completed. To read about the concusion, CLICK HERE.

Conclusion of Community Latrine Project – Panama

This project has been completed under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Kathleen Fraser. To read about the beginning of this project, CLICK HERE.

Kathleen reports:

All 20 latrines were finished on time and it was a really positive learning experience for everyone.

She went on to thank, on behalf of the latrine committee president and the entire community, all of those who contributed toward making this project a great success.

The pictures demonstrate the great support and enthusiasm of the community for the project.

Through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas we will be able to continue to fund great project such as these in Panama.

Community Latrine Project – Togo

There are no public sanitation facilities, and very few families have private latrines. Therefore defecation largely takes place in the open.

This project is for the development of community latrines to serve the population and visitors to the area.

This project was developed by the community’s development committee, which came to the conclusion that improving the health-related infrastructure is the highest priority.

The project is being carried out by the community under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer A. Landis.

The community will contribute the land, wood, water, sand, and manual labor totaling 28% of the project cost.

Sustainability will be ensured through nominal charges to non-residential users, with the revenue used for maintenance.

The success of this project is expected to greatly reduce the incidence of gastro-intestinal disease in the community. In addition, it will show the rest of the township that a community-managed project can be successful and sustainable.

To make a donation toward this project, please use the Donate button below.

Community Well Repair – Mali

Intestinal worms and other parasites are especially dangerous for children, making them susceptible to dehydration, diarrhea, and malnutrition. Additionally, unkempt well areas attract mosquitoes, increasing the incidence of malaria.

Recognizing water quality as a major obstacle to their wellbeing, the community formed a Water and Sanitation Committee in December, 2008. Since then, they have held monthly meetings to discuss the community’s sanitation problems, and have participated in two major training sessions with Peace Corps staff.

The Committee designed, implemented, and completed 19 highly successful top-well repairs. Each repair involved intense structural reinforcement as well as the installation of a metal door to protect against debris and contamination.

The committee supplemented the construction with ongoing educational activities and monitoring of water treatment and sanitation behaviors.

The success of the first project generated such a positive response that the community is enthusiastically ready to expand their efforts. In this project, 35 top-well repairs will be done in the central village and surrounding hamlets.

The villagers are contributing 26% of the total budget, consisting of labor, gravel, boulders, transportation of materials, as well as a small amount of funds.

After the completion of the top-well repairs, the committee will monitor water quality and perform chlorine treatments. In addition, they will collect money from users to be utilized for repairs and future development.

The project is being carried out under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer E. Hurley.

This project restores ineffective wells to use as a resource for the community. The dynamic planning and implementation of the prior project, together with a large community contribution toward the project show their commitment. Their demonstrated fiscal responsibility, educational participation, and pre-planning for monitoring and maintenance all come together to ensure sustainability.

$0.00 - This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts and Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

Any additional donations using the Donate button below will be used to fund other projects by this PCV and/or other PCVs in this country.

Coxjac School Latrine Project - Guatemala

The project is being carried out in Coxjac, Totonicapan, Guatemala, under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Casey Kittredge.

The latrines will be used by all three groups of students who use the school (elementary, middle school and a weekend middle school program) for a total of 240 students and 12 teachers. The current bathrooms have been deemed unsanitary by the Department of Health due to their proximity to the area where the atol, the morning snack, is prepared for the elementary students.

The walls will be built using filled recycled plastic bottles, covered with concrete. Project funds will be used to purchase materials, including rebar, cement, sand, gravel, wire, chicken wire, wood planks, and corrugated metal sheets.

The community will provide all manual labor during the construction of the latrines.

Planning meetings have taken place with the Mayor, the community, school personnel, and parents. The work will be coordinated by a committee that has been formed. After construction, the committee will be responsible for the ongoing maintenance.

This project has been fully funded through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Volunteer Kasey Kittredge of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Kasey and/or those of her counterpart PCVs in Guatemala.

Dassa Family Latrine Project - Benin

Nearly 3/4 of the 12 neighborhoods in Dassa have a shortage of latrines, while in 5 of these neighborhoods latrines are rare. Thus, public defecation is the norm in certain areas.

This project is to construct 25 pit latrines for low-income families in the community.

The project will serve 500 people.

The project is being carried out under the technical direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Brigitte Pohren, working in partnership with DCAM/Bethesda, a leading NGO for hygiene and sanitation in Benin.

Project funds will be used to purchase the materials. Labor and some materials, including sand, will be provided by the families that benefit from the project.

Participating families will begin by digging 1-meter-diameter holes, with a 4-meter target depth. A mason coordinating the project will purchase the supplies and oversee the digging of the pits. Cement bricks and cement covers will be made and put in place. Actual construction will be done by the team, moving from one neighborhood to the next.

Informational sessions are a part of the project, and will include the importance of using latrines, latrine maintenance, and proper handwashing practices.

The project offers a solution to the sanitation crisis plaguing certain zones of the community. The plan to install sanitary facilities was community initiated as a means to achieve better hygiene and a satisfactory standard of living. It will greatly contribute to the long-term health of the community and improvement in the living environment of the villagers.

The participation of Water Charity in this project has now been funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

Any donations using the Donate button below will go toward additional water and sanitation projects in Benin.

Eco Education Project – Cape Verde

The Republic of Cape Verde consists of 10 islands (9 inhabited), located about 375 miles off the western coast of Africa, opposite Mauritania and Senegal. It is part of the Sahelian arid belt, and suffers from scant rainfall and limited fresh water.

Cape Verde has considerable underground reserves of water, but extraction has proved extremely costly.

Farming is the main economic activity. However, the country has few natural resources, and 80 to 90% of all food consumed has to be imported.

Cape Verde is susceptible to deforestation and desertification due to the demand for wood to be used for fuel. It is subject to the effects of climate change and to extreme weather.

There are concerns that tourism poses a threat to the local environment, including the rich marine life. Cape Verde is an important nesting site for loggerhead turtles and humpback whales feed in the islands' waters.

Environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles. Illegal beach sand extraction and overfishing are additional environmental concerns.

The environmental education plan will include three trainings for teachers. Of primary importance to Water Charity is one entitled Health, Hygiene and the Environment.

Additional trainings will be entitled Climate Change, Biodiversity and Local Ecosystems, and Reusing “Trash” for Educational Materials.

Although most of the projects we are involved in are more direct and hardware-oriented, we recognize the multiplier effect that can be achieved through education and training. In the segment entitled Educating EcoEducators, professors will be taught using innovative teaching methods, which will reinforce their knowledge base of global and local environmental and health concerns.

In addition, students will be motivated by EcoContests to think creatively about environmental issues. This will allow teachers an opportunity to put new teaching skills to practice.

There is important community and school collaboration, which has yielded the contribution of space for trainings, expertise to lead training sessions and assistance in organizing the EcoContests and getting prizes donated.

The municipal government will provide posters, other publicity materials, and transportation costs. In addition, it will fund an Earth Day Celebration where teachers and students will exhibit their new knowledge and work.

Project funds will be used for training supplies and to facilitate student participation.

You can designate your desire that your donation be used for this project and other Projects in Cape Verde by clicking on the Donate button below.

El Brison Water System Project – Dominican Republic

The project is under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer and Engineer Duncan Peabody, as part of a larger plan for a comprehensive water system for the two communities.

El Brison and Las Batatas Arriba, are located high in the Cordillera Septentrional in the north of the Dominican Republic. They have neither running water nor electricity, and access to the communities is difficult or impossible by automobile depending on the weather conditions. As a result the communities have been largely neglected and remain completely without infrastructure, apart from a one-room elementary school.

Duncan is working on an overall project for the construction of a gravity-fed water system with a spring catchment to provide drinking water to 49 homes. The water system will be complemented by the formation of a community water board to govern the water system, and health and hygiene promoters to teach the community how to use the water to improve their well. Work has already begun on the tubeline.

The system is designed to serve the current population of 205 people, plus expected expansion. The source flow rate will be 3.5 gallons/minute, with water availability at 25 gallons/person/day.

A significant part of the overall project is the construction of a ferro-cement tank. The tank will store water during off hours so that during peak water demand there will always be water available in the pipeline.

Project funds will be used to purchase materials, including rebar, wire mesh, cement, sand, gravel, wire, aluminum lids, plywood, tarp, paint and plumbing fixtures.

As part of the overall program, the construction of this tank will include the training of several Haitians who, after completion of training, will go to Haiti to build at least 8 additional tanks. As part of the agreement for receiving training these workers will capacitate more workers in Haiti to continue to build these tanks, which are in high demand during the current crisis.

Most of the labor will be volunteer labor, with the exception that the trainees will receive small stipends.

The construction of this tank will take 5 days to complete, and is already underway.

This project has now been fully funded through the generous donation of Santevia Water Systems as part of their Santevia Gives Back Program, together with the matching funds provided by Six Senses Resorts & Spas.

Any additional donations using the Donate button below will be allocated to the construction of water storage tanks in the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

Emergency Water Filtration Project – Haiti

The Center for Public Health Preparedness at Loma Linda University has sent a team to assess the needs and deliver emergency relief to the people of Haiti. Dr. Sinclair, Assistant Professor at the Loma Linda School of Public Health, and an expert in water and sanitation, is accompanying the team.

We purchased commercially-available filters and chlorine, and gave them to Dr. Sinclair to take with him.

Urgent and difficult problems demand simple solutions. Using this direct method, we are able to help deliver life-saving filters precisely where they are needed, NOW.

Your donation is urgently requested for this project. 100% of your donation will go to purchase water filters, which are being deployed now. If you are looking for a vehicle to make a donation to the relief effort in Haiti, you will not find a more direct and cost-efficient way to contribute.

Flash:  Every dollar you donate will be matched by Six Senses Resorts & Spas!

Epako Rainwater Harvesting Project - Namibia

This location of this project is Epako, near Gobabis, in the Omaheke Region of Eastern Namibia.

The project will be carried out at a location run by a local NGO, Early Intervention Programme (EIP). EIP was founded and is operated by Ben Motlata, a local community member and human rights activist. EIP supports and empowers youth who live on the street and provides them with opportunities for an improved quality of life.

EIP is currently providing literature classes, sport activities, and drama classes. Some of the youth live at the project, participate in daily living activities, and receive meals there as well.

This project is to build a rain water harvesting system for the EIP’s Community Garden. The funds will be used to purchase and install the gutters, tanks, piping, pump and filters.

The garden will promote sustainability of EIP, ensure that nutritious food is available for the youth, promote skill development, promote responsibility, and foster self-esteem.

The garden currently exists on one small plot of land, approximately 10 x 3 meters and consists of ground soil gardening and mirco-gardening in the form of reused tires. It contains spinach, chard, cabbage, onions, carrots, beet root, and tomatoes.

This project is to be carried out by Peace Corps Volunteer Amanda Miller. It is a part of a current program in which Peace Corps Namibia and the Namibia Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry (MAWF) are working together to educate and support identified Peace Corps Volunteers, counterparts and community groups who are interested in starting and sustaining micro-gardens.

In the arid climate of the Kalahari Desert, water is scarce and expensive. The rainy season in eastern Namibia lasts approximately 3-4 months each year and during the remainder of the year, it is without rainfall. Rainwater harvesting will ensure proper maintenance of the garden year-round, including winter crops during the dry season. The reduction in the need to purchase water will allow more funds to be conserved for improvement of the garden and for other program purposes.

Currently, sixteen boys are intensively supported by the project. At particular times, the project has served as many as 33 boys. In addition, many more people will benefit when future conditions promote garden expansion and further participation by the local community.

A follow-up project, which will be defined and undertaken as a separate project, has been identified. When the current project is successfully completed, a second harvesting system at the other EIP project location will be started. This location is where the caretaker and some of the youth reside, and where the office is currently located. The water from the new project will be used for daily living activities (cooking, bathing, and drinking) and can serve as an additional water source for the garden.

Donations are accepted in any amount. To designate your donation for use in the Epako Rainwater Harvesting Project, click on the Donate button below.

Family Latrines Project - Benin

About a third of the population lives below the international poverty line of $1.25 per day. The main sources of income are subsistence agriculture and cotton.

Bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever are the primary food and waterborne diseases, and malaria and yellow fever are the primary vectorborne diseases in the country.

This project is to construct individual dry-pit latrines for families in the community. Each participant family will contribute the labor to build its own latrine.

The project is being carried out under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer E. Grochal, together with community delegates.

Project funds from Water Charity and other participants will be used to purchase the materials.

Participants must take part in the accompanying educational component to increase their knowledge about health and hygiene, and thus ensure the success of the project in impacting upon disease.

To indicate your desire for your contribution to be allocated toward this project, please click the Donate button below.

Ferro-Cement Tanks for the Dominican Republic and Haiti Program

We will present the initial concept here, and update it as it progresses. Individual projects under this master concept will be developed and presented separately.

This is a program that we have developed from the ground up after identifying a critical need. In our prior operations, we have sought individual projects that have arisen from specific communities, and have worked to assist in their implementation. In contrast, in this comprehensive program, we have identified widespread generalized need, and have designed a radical new methodology for delivering services to a multitude of communities suffering from a shortage of potable water.

In its simplest form, the concept can be described as follows:

• We will undertake to build three or four ferro-cement water storage tanks in the Dominican Republic.  The tanks will be built by Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) who have already been trained in the technology, having recently worked together to build two tanks.  The program is being led by Timothy McFarren, Programming and Training Officer, Peace Corps Dominican Republic.
• In the course of said construction, Haitians living in the Dominican Republic will be trained in the technology by the PCVs, under the direction of a local NGO, Fundacion Educadores Unidos del Cibao, with experience and operations in both countries.  The program is being led by Rafael Cruz.
• The trained Haitians will return to Haiti, under the technical direction of Rafael Cruz, and build at least eight new ferro-cement tanks there in key locations.

Background
The concept arose in an indirect way to accomplish a needed task. Water Charity had undertaken some small projects in Haiti as part of the relief effort after the earthquake. In the course of this, it was recognized that a more substantial long-range development effort needed to be undertaken. The necessity for water storage was seen to be critical in many locations.

At the same time, we had been working with Peace Corps staff in the Dominican Republic on several projects. We learned that they were implementing ferro-cement technology, and were proceeding to train Peace Corps Volunteers in the processes to build the tanks.

The Peace Corps does not have a presence in Haiti. Regulations did not allow Dominican Republic PCVs to travel to Haiti. The idea was born that these trained Volunteers could train Haitians within the Dominican Republic, who would then go back to their country and build tanks.

The Tanks in the Dominican Republic
Individual projects are scheduled to be rolled out and tanks are scheduled to be built sequentially in the Dominican Republic in the following locations and sizes:

1. Los Uveros – 11,000 liters
2. El Brison – 15,000 liters
3. Rio Grande al Medio – 21,000 liters
4. La Colorada Arriba - 50,000 liters

The Tanks in Haiti
The locations of tanks to serve the most critical need are being identified and the construction schedules are being established. Construction in Haiti will begin at once after the tanks are completed in the Dominican Republic.

The Funding
This program became possible in March, 2010, when Water Charity made a presentation of the concept to the ANON Foundation, a Southern California philanthropic organization. What was sought was an endorsement of the concept and a commitment that they would match the contributions of other donors to accomplish the stated mission. Although immediate dollars were not available, we obtained a commitment that sufficient funds will be raised at a fundraiser that they have planned for November, 2010.

The above commitment from ANON, together with the ongoing support of Six Senses Resorts & Spas, was sufficient to allow Water Charity to move forward with the plan and commit its own funds to implement the program, and we set the process in motion.

Every large-scale donor has different requirements and procedures. Some donors have a 45 day review process. Others have money available right away, but have very specific criteria as to location, scope, and benefit.

In view of the conflicting review processes, we determined that this major concept will proceed as a hybrid. Each individual tank will be "sold" as an individual stand-alone project. Each of the tanks so constructed will come under the general methodology developed for the comprehensive plan.

The Technology
Ferro-cement tanks are a reliable and effective way to store large quantities of water for community use. Tanks ranging from 11,000 to 50,000 liters in capacity are custom-built as needed, using readily available materials.

The process entails erecting a structural form of steel wire mesh, covered by layers of cement. The necessary valves and piping are installed as part of the construction.

The process of layering the cement takes about 4 or 5 days, to allow for proper drying and testing. The finished tank can be filled from any available source. The contents of the tank can be purified as needed.

The Benefit
It is estimated that the tanks constructed in the Dominican Republic will serve 1,700 people in fixed communities.

The 8 tanks to be constructed in Haiti, involving a more migrant population, will serve upwards of 4,000 people.

The program is totally scalable, and will result in trained technicians being available to continue to build tanks as needed in Haiti.

Huge benefit is achieved through the volunteer labor provided by the PCVs. Tools need only be purchased once. The trained become trainers. Skills are developed to sequentially build larger tanks, which cost only incrementally more but are much more cost-effective.

Most importantly, a skilled group of Haitian nationals will be available to carry the project forward by implementing it in needed locations in Haiti.

The Plea
We are soliciting funding for the overall concept. At the same time, we are seeking individual donors and partners to participate in the construction of the specific units.

ANON will match donations, so funders will be able to multiply the impact of their contributions.

We have received a commitment from Six Senses Resorts & Spas to provide matching funds for the program as well.

We have received a generous donation of $2,000 from Justin Lazard, of New York, USA. These funds will be used for the construction of ferro-cement tanks in Haiti.

Cody Matherne has started an effort, called Race for Water, to raise funds for this project. If you wish for your donation to be credited toward Cody’s fundraising effort, please click on the specially-coded Donate button below.

If you wish to take part in this new and challenging program, please send an email to our COO, Averill Strasser, at mail@watercharity.org, outlining how you would like to help.

Fruit Tree Reforestation – Dominican Republic

The project will be led by an association of 15 small farming communities in the San Juan Valley of the Dominican Republic. The project site is located between two of the communities, and will have an impact on all of them.

The project is being carried out under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer B. Saver.

The primary source of income of the communities is agricultural production. The clearing of land for agriculture has caused widespread deforestation, which has had a significant effect on the livelihood of the inhabitants.

Deforestation has caused soil erosion, the drying of rivers, and a decrease in rainfall. Soil erosion causes farmers to lose more of their land suitable for planting every year.

A fruit tree nursery will be created to provide place for villagers to buy grafted fruit trees that can be used to practice sustainable forestry techniques. A healthy biodiversity will be created, and soil conservation techniques will be implemented.

An additional benefit will be that the nursery will provide a supplemental income for those who are involved in the planting, maintenance, care, and sales of the trees.

The community members will do all of the work in starting the nursery, including clearing and preparing the land. They will build fences to surround the nursery, water the plants daily, and provide all necessary maintenance. Project funds will be used to purchase the necessary tools, seeds, and materials to establish to nursery.

The project will serve to protect the water source for the communities, and improve the use of the land upon which the people rely for their survival. Forestry skills will be taught to the villagers that can be continued and replicated. A single infusion of capital will have an ongoing impact, as the project will become self-sustainable.

To indicate your desire to contribute to this project, please click the Donate button below.

Go Cong Dong Water Project – Vietnam

The work will be carried out in Go Cong Dong district in Tien Giang province in Vietnam. In that district a baseline survey conducted by Habitat in mid-2008, concluded that, “Shortage of safe water is one of the biggest problems… Sometimes, they have to pay 500 VND for 2 buckets of water, [this is] a burden for the poor.”

At present no organizations are working on water-related needs in the area. Go Cong Dong is near the ocean, and, due to its low elevation, the rise and fall of the tides infiltrate the soil making it too salty for ground water wells. On the other hand, it is far too expensive to drill very deep wells.

Although some areas within the district have piped water, the areas chosen for this project are difficult to access, and it is not likely that they will receive piped water. A rainwater collection solution is appropriate because it is an immediate solution, and provides the best value per dollar spent. It also gives families more control over the quality of their water, as rainwater doesn’t need to be treated as much as other sources, or at all when collected and stored properly.

Also, it was recently found in another baseline survey, in a separate province near the ocean, that nearly all of the people interviewed preferred the taste of rainwater to other types of water sources.

Each family will receive two rainwater storage jars plus a set of rainwater collection gutters. The jars will be made on site, at the location of each house, since it is more affordable than transporting the heavy jars. Each family will receive the assistance needed to construct the collection system. The project will cost $3,000, and will initially serve 25 families, or 150 people. However, micro-financing will be utilized to extend the project to an additional 70 families, or 420 people.

The exciting and timely concept of micro-financing involves the beneficiaries in the project by requiring them to make small contributions. This greatly adds to the sustainability of the project, as money collected through repayment is used to continue the project and increase the number of people who will be served.

Financing will be made available to poor families that have the ability to repay the loan over a long period of time. Once they begin to repay their loans, the funds go back into the account so that more families will be able to obtain loans.

The interest on the loan, set at approximately 0.65%, will be used as payment for the salaries of the Women’s Union staff, which will travel to the families’ homes for collections and manage some of the accounting for the revolving fund.

The families will also be provided with “Information, Education and Communication" (IEC) materials along with an explanation regarding proper water collection and containment, as well as how to budget and save money in order to properly manage their loans. Both of these IEC activities increase the capacities of the families.

The project is being directed by Habitat Vietnam’s project manager, together with 2 construction supervisors and their water and sanitation staff. This competent management will ensure the timely completion, superior quality, and proper fiscal integrity of project.

Family selection has begun, and construction is set to start at once. It is expected that the project will be completed in a month.

This is the first of many projects we hope to do in partnership with Habitat Vietnam. Please let us know how you like it, and show your support.

To indicate your desire for your contribution to be allocated toward this project, please click the Donate button below.

Gregorio Ferro-Cement Tank and Rainwater Catchment Project - Brazil

Gregorio village has 321 families, comprised of 1100 inhabitants. Queimadas has 16,000 residents. The villagers suffer from water shortages, and are dependent on water trucks that come to deliver water.

To get a graphic image of the water crisis in the community, and the need for a water storage system, CLICK HERE

The tank will be built beside the College Renato Gonçalves Martins. The site was selected by an association of villagers and heads of the school to serve the school and the surrounding community, and meets the approval of the municipal secretary of development and education.

This project, Water Charity’s first in Brazil, will be implemented by Instituto Diamante Verde (IDV) under the direction of our friend Rosângela Araújo, who serves as its Vice President.

The ferro-cement tank will have a capacity of 30,000 liters, and will hold water collected from the rainwater catchment system. The tank can also be filled from water trucks during the dry season.

The rainwater catchment system, comprised of zinc gutters, will be fabricated by a specialist on site. The gutters will be attached to the roof of the school, and will capture water from the 360 square meter roof. Water will flow through a PVC pipe into the tank, and will be available on demand.

A master builder, with experience in this tank technology, will supervise the construction. The residents of the community will provide the labor.

There will be a capability for filtering the water, if necessary, utilizing the seeds of Moringa trees. The trees are already being grown under a separate project being carried out by the community with the assistance of IDV.

The project will directly benefit the 180 students registered at the school, plus approximately 400 additional villagers, comprised of relatives of the students and neighbors of the school.

To indicate your desire for your contribution to be allocated toward this project, please click the Donate button below.

Guatemala City Garbage Dump Water Filters Project

In this section, we present the project to provide safe water for the families working in the Guatemala City Garbage Dump.

Filter Project for Garbage Dump Workers of Guatemala

In December, Water Charity began a program to provide water filters to the families that work in the Guatemala City Garbage Dump. We will be working in conjunction with Safe Passage
(Camino Seguro), a nonprofit organization that does extensive work with this population.

Safe Passage works with the poorest at-risk children of families working in the garbage dump. They provide a comprehensive and integrated program that fosters hope, good health, educational achievement, self-sufficiency, self esteem and confidence.

With financial support from Safe Passage, each child is able to attend a local public school for the half-day term and then come to their center for educational reinforcement, caring and supervision.

The environment in and around the dump is toxic, with methane gases, rotting food, insects and vermin, and unsafe water. Entire families, including the children, are forced to work in these conditions in order to survive.

As part of the program Safe Passage provides literacy training and health education to the mothers of the children enrolled in the program. It is through this Mothers Group that we are implementing the filter project.

Unclean water worldwide is responsible for illness and death due to intestinal illness. In Guatemala, it is one of the leading causes of death, with disproportionate impact on infants and children.

Although there exists a water supply in the neighborhood surrounding the dump, it is contaminated with metals, bacteria, viruses and parasites. This population provides an outstanding application for one of the common filter technologies, as no other low cost alternatives for safe potable water are available. Obvious choices are those using biosand and ceramic technologies.

Biosand filters have been proven worldwide to remove contaminants in water through a combination of biological and mechanical processes. In essence, the filters make unsafe water safe for families to use for drinking and household use.

Ceramic filters have proven equally effective, and the choice must be made on other factors which include, for example, effectiveness, availability of materials, costs, ease of transportation, longevity, and preferences of the beneficiaries.

Safe Passage provides a clinic at their Reinforcement Center. The clinic offers on-site health care for the children enrolled in the program, as well as their direct family members. Medical records are kept, which will enable a controlled experiment to prove the effectiveness of the filters in combating gastrointestinal diseases.

This project is to be viewed as a pilot project, to be replicated and improved upon with demonstrated success. In view of the lifesaving effectiveness, low cost, long life, minimal maintenance, and ease of implementation, we have moved it to the top of our project list.

This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

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

Conclusion of Guatemala City Water Filter Project

We are pleased to report the conclusion of the pilot projects to install water filters in the homes of the members of the Women’s Literacy Group of Safe Passage
(Camino Seguro) in Guatemala City. You can read the history of this project HERE.

The project resulted in the installation of 43 point-of-use Ecofiltro ceramic water filters, and the training of all recipients in the proper use and maintenance of the filters. In addition 3 large filters were placed in Safe Passage public areas.

The project began with studies by Ecofiltro, a nonprofit that manufactures clay filters in Guatemala, showing that the water coming out of the municipal water pipes was polluted with contaminants, such as e coli, at least 87 percent of the time.

There were also health records kept by the Safe Passage clinic, and the nursing staff had concluded that children suffered from diarrhea and other gastro-intestinal illnesses due to unsafe water much of the time.

Safe Passage then did a baseline study, meeting with all of the filter recipients and collecting extensive background data. This data will allow them to follow the families on regular intervals, coinciding with regular visits to assure that the filters are being used properly. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the filters in eliminating or cutting down disease is now possible.

As an added bonus, the participants in the program will receive a 20-hour course on nutrition, hygiene, and holistic health for themselves and their families, conducted by La Familia de Las Americas.

The project was extremely gratifying in many respects. First was the opportunity to work with Safe Passage, an organization doing such great work with the families that work at the Guatemala City Garbage Dump. Their integrated approach, taking into account the many needs of a specific segment of the population, allows individuals to elevate themselves from the difficult conditions in which they are surrounded.

The project was led by Liz Love, who directs the Adult Literacy Program at Safe Passage. Through her hard work and dedication, this project was carried out without a hitch.

Working with a cohesive group of motivated mothers will assure compliance in the use and maintenance of the filters, and allow for evaluation.

As a pilot project, the technology, practices, and procedures can be replicated, and other needy groups and families can be served.

Many international aid organizations focus on the needs of communities in the rural areas, sometimes resulting in neglect of urban communities. With dense population, urban pollution, and difficult sanitation problems, the cities are in need of increased and immediate attention.

We will be continuing our involvement with Safe Passage to deal with the needs of the community they serve, with other water and sanitation technologies that may be appropriate.

Guatemala City Garbage Dump Water Filters Project – Part 2

The population to be served is a portion of the 3,000 people who live and work in Central America’s largest landfill, the Guatemala City Garbage Dump. These people spend long days sorting through trash to find and sell recyclable items. They have formed communities on top of layers of trash, with tin walls and roofs housing an average of eight people per household.

Within these homes there is a general lack of running water and hygienic practices, leading to frequent health problems including intestinal infections, parasites, and amoebas among others.

Many only receive water for a couple of hours in the morning or night, where it is stored in a barrel for up to 24 hours. The water is exposed to bacteria and other microorganisms, making it harmful to the health of children and families when consumed.

Safe Passage’s mission is to create opportunities and foster dignity through the power of education. Their program currently serves over 500 children and nearly 300 families.

Water Charity intervened in May of 2009 with the goal of improving the health of families participating in Safe Passage’s programs. Under the direction of Liz Love, who heads up the Adult Literacy program, we provided 46 water filters from Ecofiltro to 42 Adult Literacy homes, as well as one small filter for the Literacy classroom and three large filters, one for the Early Education Center and two for the main Reinforcement Building.

These filters, along with one workshop on the use of the filter and good hygiene practices, have reduced the frequency of diarrhea and other intestinal problems in the target families. In addition, there have been many reports of higher consumption of water and satisfaction with the water quality.

Building on the success of the pilot project for water filters, along with Safe Passage’s desire to support more of the families participating in its programs, this project provides the opportunity to extend access to clean water to additional families.

The Adult Literacy program continues to grow, now including a new Men’s Evening Class and many new students. This project is to provide 35 additional Ecofiltro ceramic water filters to serve 280 persons in this new and unserved group.

Additionally, Safe Passage will provide training on installation and maintenance of the filters, along with general hygiene and nutrition, to each family.

Water Charity holds to the model of following up successful high-impact projects, more of the same. The first filter project more than met our expectations in terms of the numbers served, the compliance in continued use of the filters, and the resultant reduction of waterborne illness. The recipients were, and continue to be, very appreciative, noting the obvious decrease of illness within their families. We are grateful for the opportunity to be able to expand the concept to an additional group of people as part of the integrated services being provided by Safe Passage.

This project has now been fully funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

We are particularly appreciative of the support by Six Senses for our projects in Guatemala during these trying times in the wake of the volcanic eruption and flooding. Any donations using the Donate button below will go toward additional water and sanitation projects for the families at the Guatemala City Garbage Dump, which have been particularly devastated by this tragedy.

Introducing the Appropriate Projects Initiative

While continuing with our successful model of developing and carrying out projects of all sizes, we realize that there is a great need to do some projects without delay. Appropriate Projects cuts the process down to its bare bones.

Every project under the new initiative: 

• Serves a critical water or sanitation need
• Has a great impact
• Can be done for under $500
• Is managed by a serving U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer
• Is funded and started immediately
• Is completed in under 30 days

Appropriate Projects offers the public the opportunity to Adopt a Project in its entirety or to make a donation for a project in any amount. If a donor funds an entire project he is given naming rights. A person could, for example, designate a project “in honor of” or “in memory of” another individual.

Please visit the Appropriate Website at http://appropriateprojects.com, and click on the Projects tab to see current projects in need of funding.

Julio Verne School Project of Melanie Reda

This section contains information about the initiation and conclusion of the project at the Julio Verne Elementary School of Saquiya, Patzun, Guatemala under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Melanie Reda.

Completion of Julio Verne School Water Project in Guatemala

The Water Charity project at the Julio Verne Elementary School of Saquiya, Patzun, Guatemala has been successfully completed. To see the history of this project click HERE.

The effort resulted in the installation of 3 Rotoplas water deposits, 5 functioning toilets, a cement water deposit, a washing station, and 6 sinks with faucets. The sinks are connected to galvanized tubes that receive water directly from the water deposits.

The project was carried out under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Melanie Reda, and with the assistance of Global Water albanil Albert Xoch, and Lynn Roberts.

Melanie reports:

They are now able to store 1350 liters of water in the deposits ensuring that there is at the very least a 3-day supply of water for each student and teacher.

She further states:

The generosity of the Water Charity donors has made such a difference in the lives of the students and teacher of Julio Verne. Please know that we are eternally grateful for the support.

This project has been fully funded. If you wish to donate to follow-up projects of Melanie Reda and/or those of her counterpart Peace Corps Volunteers in Guatemala, click the Donate button below.

Julio Verne School Project of Melanie Reda - The Start

Melanie Reda is a Peace Corps Volunteer, working in Aldea Saquiya, Municipio of Patzún, Chimaltenango, Guatemala. She is undertaking a project to construct a water deposit, and install eight faucets and three flushable toilets at the Julio Verne Elementary School.

Melanie reports:

"The community has recently been connected to the local drainage and public water. The school has the opportunity to construct projects that will prove to be sustainable for years to come. By connecting the water system of the school to the public water system, the school would be able to count on water 100% of the time.

"The purpose of the water deposit is to allow water to be stored until the construction and paving of the highway is completed. This construction has cut the school off from water more than three days a week due to pipes being damaged. Thus the need for a water deposit remains.

"Although the school has existing toilets, they are drained into a seepage pit. The pit is nearly full due to the constant u sage and would prove to be a potential contaminant if use were continued. Constructing three additional toilets and connecting them to public drainage would put an end to the contamination and threat of future contamination.

"Additionally the one hundred students and six teachers that attend the Julio Verne Elementary School would be able to practice hygienic habits including tooth brushing and hand washing with the implementation of the faucets. As the situation stands the school only has access to one faucet to be used for all cleaning, cooking, and hygienic practices."

Please click the Donate button to make your contribution by PayPal or credit card. You may designate that your contribution be used specifically for this project by so advising us using the Contact form on this website. You may also send a check to us at the address shown HERE.

To read about the conclusion of this project, CLICK HERE.

Katie B's School Project

In this section, we present a project of Peace Corps Volunteer Katie Bovitz, serving in El Zapote, Guatemala. The project involves the completion of a new school with the installation of 8 handwashing stations and 4 latrines.

Katie Bovitz, Volunteer in Paraje El Zapote

Katie Bovitz is a Peace Corps Volunteer, serving in Paraje El Zapote, Pachilip in the Municipality of Joyabaj, Department of Quiche, Guatemala. She is serving under a 9 month extension to her original Peace Corps commitment of two years.

Katie will be leaving Guatemala in April, and asked if we could fund a last project she wanted to do before she left. After reviewing her proposal, we committed to the project, within her timetable. We told her to start acquiring the materials, as the funds are on their way.

In 2008, Katie raised money to build a two-room elementary schoolhouse in the village of El Zapote. The school is currently under construction and is scheduled to be finished by the end of April. She needed the funds for the latrines and hand washing station for the school.

The project falls directly within our purview of water and sanitation. We are providing the resources that enable the completion of the school.

There are 47 families in the village of El Zapote, and 51 school-aged children who will directly benefit from this project.

Katie says: “There will be a set of 4 latrines constructed of cement block (like the schoolhouse) with simple concrete toilet seats, and a paved floor. The hand washing station will be an elevated water deposit with 8 taps, constructed of block and concrete.”

We will keep you informed on the progress of the project. If you believe that this project has merit, send us a donation. Your funds will be used to complete it, and to undertake others like it.

To read the update on Katie B’s School Project, CLICK HERE.

Update on Katie B’s School Project

Katie is getting ready to complete her extended Peace Corps tour the end of April, and the she still needs to finish the handwashing stations and latrines for the school. The school will then be certified as a Safe School, under a program run by the Guatemalan government.

Katie was getting so anxious to move things along, she actually started to buy the materials from the hardware store on credit!

Yesterday, we gave a presentation before the Crestline-Lake Gregory Rotary Club, and they immediately made a generous donation to Katie B’s School Project. I promised we’ll put a plaque on one of the latrines.

Water Charity was so anxious to get the remaining funds to Guatemala in a hurry, we decided to fund the balance ourselves. We mailed the check today. We want to thank our local Postmaster, Jeri-Lynn Miller, both for inviting us to speak at the Rotary Club meeting, and for making sure the check arrives quickly.

To read the background information on Katie B’s School Project, click HERE.

This project has been successfully completed by Peace Corps Volunteer Katie Bovitz, through the generosity of the Rotary Club of Crestline.

Katie M's Latrines

In this section, we present a project of Peace Corps Volunteer Katie McKenna, serving in Chiusuc, Guatemala. The project is to build latrines for the entire town!

Progress Report on Katie M’s Latrines

Katie reports that the first 20 latrines have been completed, and that holes have been dug for 20 more. That really puts the pressure on us to keep up, as we have told her that we won’t stop until the whole town has latrines.

With your help, we can do this. Here is a note from one of our donors:

“I am hoping to be able to keep fund raising and whenever I get enough money for a latrine I will send it. This money is being donated by the operating room staff and physicians at Minneapolis Children's Hospital.”

Why don’t you do the same thing? Pass the hat around the office, and donate $75 for one latrine. Let us know it’s for Katie’s Latrines. Click the Donate button use PayPal or your credit card. Otherwise, send a check to Water Charity, P.O. Box 368, Crestline, CA 92325-0368.

Katie reports:

“In many cases, we have 13 people currently using 1 latrine, and the picture of the men building the latrine is in a house where there is NO latrine. They had the hole dug, but they didn't have the money to buy the little house around it and the seat.

“These families worked day and night to get the holes and latrines done, digging holes 23 to 50 feet deep! It is scary work in a hole that deep and narrow. For the latrine you see being built, the family went down 120 feet!!

“They are very serious about this. We are doing education along with the latrine project as well. It is not good enough just to give a technology (however crude). It must be accompanied by education on its use. It may seem obvious how to use a latrine, but many communities have them and still children are defecating in the patio.

“This is a huge mechanism for the spread of disease and cause of diarrhea. We have done multiple educational trainings and discus sions with the beneficiaries of this latrine project to make sure that they are used well and that this project will actually improve health, the end goal.

“Right now, my community has water, but according to the American nurse who visits us once a month, we have one of the highest incidences of diarrhea of all the communities in which she works. These latrines are crucial to the improvement of my community's health. They have made this project their priority, organized faster and better than I could ever have believed, and they are ready to finish it up.”

To read the background to this project, click HERE.

Conclusion of Katie McKenna's Latrine Project

Katie McKenna is completing her Peace Corps service in Guatemala, and returning to the United States to continue her education, her career, and her life. We are extremely grateful to her, not only for the work that she did, but for the inspiration she has given us

In all, 91 latrines were completed. The project was inaugurated by the happy and appreciative townspeople, and will stand as a reminder of her selfless efforts.

Katie will be credited with creating the model of combining a terrific project with a supportive fundraising effort. It was only through her tireless conviction that such an ambitious project could be undertaken and completed in such a short time.

You can read the history of the project HERE.

Kindergarten Catchment Project – Ghana

The planned school project will be of concrete and block, with three open classrooms for the students and staff. In addition, there will be an office and a closable storeroom for supplies.

Our project funds will be used to put raingutters around the building. The water collected from the roof will be directed into a large 3,000 liter plastic tank that is on the site, but is presently unused.

The community will provide labor, sand, gravel and transportation of materials for the project.

This community has exhibited a strong desire to improve the educational facilities that they offer their children and those from surrounding communities.

The Ghana Ministry of Education has reconized the value of this project and indicated its continued support for this level of education in KwakuSae.

For several years, the Kindergarten/Nursery school has operated from meager facilities of mud and sheet metal. With improved facilities, the community leaders will be able to provide for quality education for their own children, and also attract children from surrounding communities.

This project will have direct impact on approximately 600 people.

With great community and school participation, this project will succeed in creating an environment conducive to early childhood education. By joining a larger effort, our contribution, which will lead to a water supply for the children, will have a much greater impact than it could have had as an individual project.

To read a progress report on this project CLICK HERE.

Kologan Agroforestry Project – Togo

A local river will provide water for needed irrigation, using a system of cisterns, a motorized pump, and movable piping.

This project is being carried out under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Christine Remein.

Sitchope Cooperative is located in the village of Kologan on the outskirts of the county of Agou, Togo. The cooperative decided to use sustainable agricultural practices in their planting and irrigation, and settled upon a method of agroforestry that will provide for their needs while maintaining the quality of the soil.

Community members are primarily cultivators. The village suffers from deforestation and poor soil quality. As population increases, rainfall and farmable land decrease. Despite daily efforts of the community members, particularly women, to feed their families, malnutrition is a reality.

The cooperative has thus far prepared for the cisterns that will be installed, bought cement for the cisterns, and also planted the tree nursery. In the weeks to come they will build the cisterns, tend to the tree nursery, and buy piping for the irrigation.

Project funds will be used for the purchase and transportation of seeds and the construction of the irrigation system. The community will provide the labor for the project.

This project will benefit a community of 1,000 people.

A sustainable system of agriculture is invaluable to the beneficiaries of this project. Their livelihood depends on their capacity and ability to yield food from their farms and also make a profit. The system makes good use of the available water, as it closes the nutrient cycle of the soil.

This project has now been funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

Any donations using the Donate button below will go toward additional water and sanitation projects in Togo.

Kristen's Water Tank Project

Here you will find information about the water tank project of Kristen Petros, Peace Corps Volunteer, Patulup Guatemala.

Kristen Petros's Water Tank Project - Guatemala

Kristen Petros is a Peace Corps Volunteer living near Patulup, El Quiche’, Guatemala. The local elementary school has 65 students, from pre-primary through sixth grade.

The school receives no water during daytime hours. Water is needed for drinking, food preparation, handwashing, and cleaning.

Each and every morning, along with their notebooks and pencils, students are required to bring with them 2-liter bottles full of water in order to sustain the school’s water supply.

Water Charity is funding a water deposit tank so students will no longer have to haul heavy bottles long distances, and will be able to learn in a healthy and sanitary environment.

Check back here to see how the project progresses. In the meantime, please make a donation which will be used specifically for the completion of this project, by clicking on the Donate button below.

If you prefer to send a check, please make it payable to Water Charity, with the designation Kristen's Water Tank Project, and send it to:

Averill Strasser, COO
Water Charity
P.O. Box 368
Crestline, CA 92325-0368

This project has now been funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

Any donations using the Donate button below will go toward additional water and sanitation projects in Guatemala.

To see a progress report, click HERE.

Kristy’s School Improvements Project in Mauritania

In this section, we follow Kristy’s School Improvements Project in Mauritania, under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Kristy Smiley.

Kristy’s School Improvements Project in Mauritania - The Beginning

Water Charity is working with Mauritania Peace Corps Volunteer Kristy Smiley on a project to provide needed water and sanitation facilities in one of the fourteen primary schools in which she works.

Kristy lives in Kaedi, Gorgol, Mauritania. She works with mainly with the 5th and 6th grade French speaking teachers. Science and math are taught in French, but everything else is in Arabic.

Mauritania is located in northwest Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west, by Senegal on the southwest, by Mali on the east and southeast, by Algeria on the northeast, and by the Morocco-controlled Western Sahara on the northwest.

The first part of the project is to provide a sufficient and cost-effective water resource to the school by repairing the existing well that is on school grounds. This will provide water for the students, as well as school gardens and tree nurseries.

The second part is to repair the school’s latrines in order to provide a safe and private place for the students to relieve themselves, as well as learn proper hygiene.

The school’s parents’ association will pay for 25% of the project in materials and labor.

This project is starting now, and Kristy will keep us updated. Your donation in any amount is urgently requested. If you use the Donate button below, your contribution will be directed specifically toward Kristy’s project.

To read about the progress of this project, click HERE

La Colorada Abajo Water System – Dominican Republic

Water Charity is participating in this project, which involves a number of other entities and individuals, by providing the final funding necessary to get the project underway.

The community of La Colorada Abajo, Municipality of Malmon, Puerta Plata, is home to more than one hundred people, who currently live without access to potable water. During the rainy season, the river often rises to prohibit vehicular traffic to the main road, thereby isolating the community.

To meet their daily needs, families currently collect rain and stream water that is contaminated with diarrhea-causing parasites. Diarrhea can lead to serious health complications, including dehydration and malnutrition, particularly in young children and the elderly.

The gravity-fed system outputs over seven gallons of water per minute, which is sufficient to meet the needs of the residents as well as those of the community centers: a schoolhouse, two community churches, and a local baseball park.

To ensure sustainability, the community has a water committee which was formed to manage the project from planning through construction and maintenance. The project will take approximately 5 months to complete.

The schedule calls for the purchase and transportation of materials, the digging of the trench, the assembly and burying of the pipe, and the construction of the tank, intake, river crossings, and standpipe.

The residents of La Colorada Abajo will supply all necessary labor for the project, amounting to almost 30% of total costs. In addition, all members will pay a biweekly quota toward system upkeep, and will pay to be connected to the system.

Project funds will be used to purchase the required materials. The project is being implemented under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Sarah Casey.

Plumbers will be trained to maintain the system. Health promoters will train the community in hygiene and sanitation, and make home visits to ensure compliance. Sustainability will be insured by fiscal responsibility in the collection and disbursement of funds for maintenance.

Participants will gain leadership and technical skills, which will carry forward to future community projects, and may lead to employment opportunities for those who take part.

This project, arising from and supported by the community and progressing through the organizational and planning stages, has the elements needed to continue through the construction phase on schedule and within budget. It will lead to the elimination of water-borne disease, and empower the community to progress to other development projects.

This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Volunteer Sarah Casey of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Sarah and/or those of her counterpart PCVs in the Dominican Republic.

La Colorada Arriba Water System Project - Dominican Republic

The project is under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer and Engineer Sarah Casey as part of a larger plan for a comprehensive water system for the community.

La Colorada Arriba is a rural community of almost 900 people, living without access to potable water. To meet their daily needs, families are left with no choice but to buy river water contaminated with diarrhea-causing parasites from passing trucks. Particularly in young children and the elderly, diarrhea can lead to serious health complications, including dehydration and malnutrition, or even death.

Community members, well aware of their need for potable water, have identified a sustainable solution—a water distribution system powered by a centrifugal pump. Water will be pumped from a protected spring to a storage tank located above the community. From there water will travel completely by gravity to the community below. The spring, with almost a liter per second of flow, provides sufficient water to meet the residents’ demands as well as those of the community centers: a schoolhouse and three community churches.

To ensure sustainability, the community has formed a water committee to manage the project through all stages: planning, construction, and maintenance. The residents of La Colorada Arriba will supply all necessary labor for construction as well as a monthly quota towards future system upkeep.

Additionally, each family is contributing $35 towards the purchase of materials. While the community is contributing in kind a large percentage of the overall project cost, they do not have the financial means to purchase the majority of the materials.

A significant part of the overall project is the construction of the storage tank, which will use the proven ferro-cement tank technology. The tank will have sufficient capacity to provide water on demand for the community during all seasons of the year and all hours of the day.

Project funds will be used to purchase materials, including rebar, wire mesh, cement, sand, gravel, wire, aluminum lids, plywood, tarp, paint and plumbing fixtures.

As part of the overall program, the construction of this tank will include the training of several Haitians who, immediately after completion of training, will go to Haiti to build additional tanks. As this is the third tank in the process, they have already gained substantial proficiency, and this construction of a larger tank will provide needed additional experience.

The construction of this tank is underway, and expected to take a week or so to complete.

To indicate your desire for your contribution to be allocated toward this project, please click the Donate button below.

Six Senses Resorts & Spas has graciously offered to provide matching funds for donations contributed for this project.

La Crucita Water System Project in Honduras

The design calls for the collection of water from a natural spring, and piping it by gravity a distance of 1.4 kilometers. A small pump is used to pump the water up 10 meters to a 3,000 gallon distribution tank. It is then piped by gravity 0.8 km to each house in the community.

The project will serve 15 houses at present, with a total population of approximately 90 people. However, it is designed to handle the expected rise in population over the next 20 years to 167 people.

The labor will be provided by the members of the community, who are also contributing materials, such as sand, rock, and wood.

The municipal government of Siguatepeque is donating half of the money needed to complete the project.

The project is divided into phases, which will allow us to start right away while we are still seeking funds to complete the project. The first phase calls for building the spring box around the water source. This will keep the source from being contaminated, and allow for easy daily access to the water.

The second phase calls for the construction of the conduction line and distribution tank, and installation of the pump.

The third and final phase will result in the construction of the distribution network, with taps at each house.

Michelle reports that arrangements have been made with a local NGO, Aldea Global, to coordinate the work in the field. The project is ready to begin, and Michelle will keep us updated on the progress.

We urgently need your donations so that we can move quickly through the phases of the project. If you click the Donate button below, your contribution will be earmarked for the La Crucita Water System Project.

The first phase of this project, the construction of the spring box, has been completed. To read about it, CLICK HERE.

Completion of La Crucita Spring Box

The first phase of the La Crucita Water System Project has been successfully completed. To read about the start of this project, CLICK HERE.

The project was designed so that each stage could stand on its own and create value, even if, for some reason, an obstacle prevented progress on subsequent stages.

The first phase was completed despite the political unrest in Honduras, which threatened the project. This attests to the commitment of the town and the ability of Peace Corps Volunteer Michelle Richards to persist under adverse conditions.

In the end, the municipality was able to honor its commitment, and the town was able to raise additional money through fund-raising activities, such as raffles and food sales.

Michelle Reports:

The community chose to hire a construction supervisor named Pedro Santos, who lives nearby and regularly works on similar water systems with Aldea Global. He constructed the spring box in accordance with the design specifications. The community members provided all the non-skilled labor required.

The members of the community were able to convince the municipality to donate pipe, and they have actually begun to lay the piping from the spring box to the site where the cistern will be located.

The community members were led by two outstanding representatives. Pedro (a different Pedro), the President of the town council, managed the money, and purchased and transported the materials. Carmen, the Vice President of the town council, organized all of the members of the community to work on the system. She kept track of how many hours each family contributed toward the project, and made sure that the workers were on the job each morning.

According to Michelle, everyone is very excited about the project, and they are looking forward to the next phase, in which water will be brought to the cistern. This will eliminate the 2 km. hike from the village to retrieve the water.

We are still seeking donations to pay for the first phase, and are working hard to accumulate funds to proceed to subsequent stages. Donations in any amount may be made by clicking on the Donate button at the bottom of the project description.

La Cruz Water Project - Guatemala

The Escuela Oficial Rural Mixta has little access to water, consisting of a small chorro that receives water once a week for an hour. The young students currently bring water in 2-liter bottles from their homes or the local stream to school in order to sustain the water supply.

Teachers do not have water to mop their floors or to teach basic hygiene to the children. Atol, a mid-morning snack, cannot be handed out due to the lack of water. At times water must be borrowed from neighbors in order to do necessary chores.

The project is being administered by Peace Corps Volunteer Ashley Kissinger.

Water Charity is pleased to be participating with other NGOs in this project, and our funds will go for skilled labor and materials. The community and parents from the school are contributing additional labor, and will maintain the tank and pipes upon completion.

To see plans for the project, CLICK HERE.

This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Ashley Kissinger of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Ashley and/or those of her counterpart PCVs in Guatemala.

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

Conclusion of La Cruz Water Project – Guatemala

This project has been completed under the technical direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Ashley Kissinger. To read about the beginning of this project, CLICK HERE.

The project started with an objective to build a 1,200 liter rainwater catchment tank, with an accompanying handwashing station, at the elementary school in La Cruz, Cajola, Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.

It became much more, with the help of a number of individuals and agencies.

In June, Ashley reported:

We started construction four weeks ago, but due to Agatha we had suspended construction for two weeks due to the conditions of the road. Currently, we are up and running again. The water tank can hold up to 40,000 L of water and has its own 5M water pozo (well) and rain water catchment system.

She recently informed us that the project had finally been completed. The video below amply shows the process and the final result.

We are happy to have been a part of this effort, which made it possible for Ashley to see the project through to conclusion on the eve of her completion of Peace Corps service.

The project was funded through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas.

Latrine Building Project – Benin

The construction will take place at Akodebakou (ah-ko-deh-bah-koo), a thirty minute bike ride from where Dennis lives. Latrines will be built in four neighborhoods.

The process was started with the designation of the families that will participate. A significant commitment was required of the families, which included not only a contribution of labor and materials, but also participation in health and hygiene instruction. Topics will include proper hygiene, the importance of latrines, and proper maintenance and usage.

Each family will provide the labor for the digging of the pits and other materials, such as stones and gravel, according to ability.

The construction technique incorporates concrete blocks, which will be made on-site, for use as inner walls within the pits. Two teams will work cementing concrete blocks and placing latrine covers on all latrines built.

Project funds from Water Charity and other participants will be used to pay for the water (for mixing cement), sand, gravel, and cement. In addition, it will pay for the masons, the transportation of a latrine/building specialist, and PVC pipe to help aerate the latrines.

Once the latrines are built, families will be required to create a “wall” structure for their latrine to provide privacy. Most likely this will consist of reeds and/or palm leaves thatched together.

It is estimated that the family latrines will serve more than 50 people. These beneficiaries would not otherwise have the means to build the latrines for themselves. The result will be a significant decrease in gastrointestinal disease in the community.

To indicate your desire for your contribution to be allocated toward this project, please click the Donate button below.

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

Conclusion of Latrine Building Project – Benin

This project has been successfully completed, under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Dennis Chon. To see the history of the project CLICK HERE.

The project was to construct eight family latrines in the rural community of Akodebakou, Benin. The technique was to use concrete blocks made on-site to line the pits to contain the waste.

Dennis reports that all of the latrines were completed according to plan, despite some delays due to roadblocks and a shortage of cement in the area.

Individual families were left to complete the latrines with privacy walls according to their own preference and on their own schedule.

Dennis had the opportunity to discuss latrine usage, latrine maintenance, and the importance of washing hands with the participants.

Dennis was able to finish this great project, within budget, on the eve of his completion of service with the Peace Corps. He is returning to California leaving his community a better place.

Latrine Construction Training Project– Dominican Republic

Water Charity is participating in this larger project to a small extent. A number of donors, and the community at large, have contributed the major portion of the necessary funding. While the vast majority of our projects involve “hardware”, this project involves education and training activities that definitely will lead to physical projects, and thus comes directly within our purview.

In addition, we are happy to provide the “last dollars” for this project, which was waiting for full funding before it could begin. With our modest contribution, this project is now underway.

This community in the Dominican Republic is located in the Northeast of the country on a peninsula and includes approximately 800 families. Most families are active within existing community groups and participate in projects for the community. The women’s group is active and dedicated to improving the lives of its community members.

Incomes are low, and improvements in health and sanitation are of prime importance. Most families do not have latrines, and for the few that do, they are in very poor condition.

The community is contributing 25% of the project costs.

The project is being coordinated by Peace Corps Volunteer E. Monteith, with the assistance of a second PCV. They will facilitate the training of health and hygiene education for the women and families in the community.

The women’s group, along with community leaders will be involved in supervising and maintaining the latrines upon completion of the project.

To make a donation for this project, please use the Donate button below.

Latrine Construction and Training – Panama

This small community is made up of indigenous subsistence farmers who raise corn, beans rice and coffee. It is a steep 2-hour hike from the nearest road. Currently no latrines exist in the community and people defecate in open pits or in the surrounding hills, creeks and rivers.

This project was chosen by the community members as being of primary importance to the welfare of the village. The community is contributing 57% of the total budget.

The project is being coordinated by Peace Corps Volunteer Andrea Newman.

The latrine design includes a moveable floor. When the latrine is full, the floor can be placed over a new hole, and a tree can be planted over the old hole.

Project sustainability lies in the training the community will receive in both construction techniques and in health issues and disease prevention. Additional training will include latrine use, water treatment, and maintenance.

The participation of Water Charity in this project has now been funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

Any donations using the Donate button below will go toward additional water and sanitation projects in Panama.

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

Conclusion of Latrine Construction and Training Project – Panama

This project has been completed under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Andrea Newman. To read about the beginning of this project, CLICK HERE.

Andrea reports:

The project benefited the community of Bajo Membrillo, which is located in a valley of the Comarca Ngabe-Bugle (the equivalent of an indigenous reservation with the political rights of a state) in the highlands of Panama.

9 families live in Bajo Membrillo and none had a latrine. When we began the project only one man had mixed cement. I am proud to say that today, every family has one or two men who learned how to mix cement, construct a latrine floor and use a metal mold to create the latrine seat. They are proud, too.

It seems sexist that only the men mixed the cement, but it keeps with the cultural norms of the area. The women helped to carry the supplies, and are educating their children on the correct use of the latrine. They are particularly grateful.

Just last week I hiked to the community and made sure walls had been placed around the latrine, the last requirement before the beneficiaries could claim their zinc roofs. All 9 latrines now have walls and roofs!

Andrea reported that the funds stretched much farther than she had imagined. She was therefore able to building 11 more latrines in her own community!

In all, it is estimated that 120 persons are benefiting from the construction of these 20 latrines.

We are grateful for the funding provided by Six Senses Resorts & Spas.

Latrines Project in Ghana

Currently the beach is used as the latrine. As a result, spots of human excreta can be seen all around the seashores. On any given day, one finds vultures and flies feeding on the human waste, as well as children playing and fishermen working in the same beach area.

Through community meetings the village decided to build two 10- stall latrines, one on each side of the community. This will lead to a sanitary work area for the fishermen and a serene playing area for the children, and will serve to prevent the spread of disease.

The community will construct the latrines, and will provide 56% of the total cost of the project. After completion, the community will charge a small fee for the use of the latrines, and the money collected will go to the maintenance of the facilities.

The project will be directed by Peace Corps Volunteer A. Herring, who will ensure that the project is completed on schedule and within budget.

Ghana was the first country in the world to welcome Peace Corps Volunteers, with the first group arriving in 1961. Since that time, more than 3,700 Volunteers have served there.

This project uses technology that is appropriate to the needs of the community. It results in the rapid elimination of a critical public health problem. It demonstrates a technology that can be replicated elsewhere. Finally, the collection of a maintenance fee from the users guarantees sustainability.

To indicate your desire for your donation to be used for this specific project, please use the Donate button below.

Latrines Project in Uganda

In this village many of the families do not have sanitation facilities. Unmanaged human waste pollutes water sources and food gardens, and unsafe latrines occasionally collapse.

In this project, the Rural Agency for Sustainable Development, in cooperation with local leaders, will build dome-slab low-cost latrines for twenty households in dire need of safe and hygienic sanitation solutions.

Our funds will be used for the materials, including cement and sand. Most of the labor is being contributed by the community.

Six youths will receive on-the-job construction training so they will have the skills to improve their own livelihoods.

Water and sanitation interventions such as this one are most effective when paired with education, so local leaders and nursery school teachers in training will hold hygiene workshops for children and adult recipients of the latrines.

This project, in addition to addressing an immediate and important community need, will be a valuable training experience for teachers, youth and community leaders as they work together to improve the public health of their community.

This project is being directed by Peace Corps Volunteer S. Quan, who will oversee project funds, ensure that the project is completed within budget and on schedule, evaluate the outcome, and carry forward the beneficial aspects of the project.

The Peace Corps/Uganda program was reestablished in 2000, after its suspension in 1999. Peace Corps Volunteers in Uganda are currently engaged in HIV/AIDS activities in addition to other public health and social service activities.

You can designate that your contribution be used specifically for this project by clicking on the Donate button below.

Latrines Project – Morocco

There is a critical need for this project, which shows the relationship between effective sanitation and a safe water supply. Many families in the community do not have toilets, or have toilets that are in disrepair. However a critical factor is that some families have toilets located too close to a well, thereby affecting the safety of the drinking water.

The residents of the village, several associations (locally led NGO’s) from within the community and from surrounding areas, and individuals have given varying contributions of support to the project. The community participation is over 53% of the project cost.

The beneficiaries include 32 men, 28 women, 20 boys and 13 girls. The families will be required to provide labor for their own homes as well as for those who do not have someone who is physically able to do the work.

Families will be required to attend technical training and health classes. Participants will learn how to build and maintain a functional pour-flush toilet, about the impact hygiene and sanitation practices have on their health and how to make choices that promote healthy behavior.

The project is being carried out under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer M. Alexander.

Water Charity is providing the “last dollars” to initiate this project, which has been some time in the planning, and will be sure to have a substantial impact on the health of the community.

$0.00 - This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts and Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

Any additional donations using the Donate button below will be used to fund other projects by this PCV and/or other PCVs in this country.

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

Conclusion of Latrines Project – Morocco

This project has been completed under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Moira Alexander. To read about the beginning of the project, CLICK HERE.

The project took place in Ouled D’Abou, a small douar located in the commune of Ouizeght, south of Missour in the Boulemane Province of Morocco.

The project was designed to accomplish all of the work necessary to ensure that every house in the community had a toilet. It was estimated that 43 new and 19 refurbished residential toilets would be needed.

Capacity building was to be emphasized in the areas of volunteerism, community collaboration, and technical skills such as construction and maintenance of the toilets.

Various plans were prepared, depending on the specific needs of the household.

The project called for disseminating supplies to the various households, and providing whatever specific technical help and labor that each family needed.

Community groups and individuals contributed local materials and provided labor for the project.

Moira reported that the best part of the project was working to build the capacity of the men's association, which stepped up and undertook many aspects of the project.

The project objectives were accomplished just as Moira completed her service as a Peace Corps Volunteer and returned home.

On behalf of the people of Ouled D’Abou, (now) Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Moira Alexander, and Water Charity, gratitude is extended to Six Senses Resorts and Spas for their contribution which made this project possible.

Lenny's "Pilas" Project

Lenny’s “Pilas” Project - The Beginning

Water Charity is pleased to have enabled a project in rural Guatemala to provide sinks for an entire community. The project, which will serve 86 people, was proposed by, and will be completed under the direction of, Lenny Van Boven, a Peace Corps Volunteer, living in Chicocox, Guatemala.

Here is how Lenny describes the project:

The project consists of providing 16 pilas, one per home, accounting for the population of Chicocox. Caserio Chicocox is part of the Aldea Xinacati, Municipio of Cubulco, located approximately 15 km northwest of Cubulco. The community is accessible only by foot.

In 2001, a water project was completed whereby running water from a stream-fed tank, located approximately 5 km away, was piped to the community.

The addition of pilas will permit the washing of clothes, food and dishes in a more comfortable, hygienic and professional manner.

Water shortage is a common problem in the community during the dry season (December-May), and the tanks of the pilas will aid water storage.

Water Charity looked very favorably on this project for many reasons. It added to a prior successful project, thereby directly impacting on the wellbeing of the community. It was simple and limited in concept, presented no impediments, utilized appropriate technology, was cost effective, and could be accomplished at once.

Furthermore, the plan called for community participation, a necessary element in any community development project.

Water Charity made a commitment to provide funds for the project, and build upon an existing and identified co-funding source.

A sum of money had been raised by the students of Treeview Elementary School , in Hayward, California, under the direction of their teacher, Irene Riddle. The funds were previously earmarked for transporting textbooks, but other means were arranged for the books to be sent to Guatemala, freeing up this money for use on Lenny’s “pilas” project.

With the assistance of Friends of Guatemala, an organization of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who served in Guatemala, the funds from the two sources were aggregated and sent to Guatemala for use in the project.

Installation of the pilas is presently underway. Lenny will give us updates and photos as the project progresses.

Nearing Conclusion on Lenny’s “Pilas” Project

 As Lenny’s project moves to completion, it exemplifies a premise that we believe in: “A project is only the beginning of a process.” Once started, your initial goal may be reached, but your successes lead to more good things.

Lenny reports:

All of the pilas are in place, and most of the people have built roofs over the pilas to protect them from the sun, as I requested.

I have supplied everyone with 2 meters of tube to use as a drain. Yesterday, March 11th, the water and sanitation technician from CARITAS, a local NGO, visited the community and built a ¨plancha¨ for the pila in the school, and gave a great training class about pilas, health, and community organization.

The plancha is a concrete base that catches the water coming out of the pilas drains, and filters it directly into the drainage tube. It is also a nice block to stand on while using the pila. In addition to making the school´s pila more functional, it serves as a demonstration. The entire community came out to see how it was built, and many have been encouraged to build their own planchas.

The concrete pilas are only the beginning. Community involvement in the project brings better community organization. New construction skills are learned and better health practices are undertaken. An understanding of the benefits leads to further improvements. Boiled down to its essence, Lenny brings “inspiration”.

Click on the pictures to open them in full size. To read the background to the project, click HERE

Progress on Lenny’s “Pilas” Project

This is a progress report on the “Pilas” project of Lenny Van Boven, Peace Corps Volunteer, serving in Chicocox, Guatemala. You can read about this project HERE.

During the planning stage, Lenny determined that it would be less expensive to purchase fabricated pilas than to build molds, purchase the materials, and pour them in place.

Lenny planned the implementation as follows:

The community participation will be in the form of transportation. They have already formed into two geographically distinct groups, and have pooled money to hire a truck which will bring the pilas partway. They will then split up into smaller groups and be responsible for bringing the pilas in by hand and foot. Each pila is made of solid cement which has been poured into a mold, and they weigh approximately 500 pounds each.

Lenny reports that to date the community has purchased and transported 8 pilas. This week, they will purchase 8 more to be used in family homes, plus an additional one for the local school. In addition, drainage systems will be set up.

In the near future, CARITAS, an NGO working in the vicinity, will send its water and sanitation officer to discuss pila use and care with the community.

Los Uveros Water System Project – Dominican Republic

The project is under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer and Engineer Gabriel Miller, as part of a larger plan for a comprehensive water system for the entire community.

The village of Los Uveros is located in the mountains of the Cordillera Septentrional in the Dominican Republic. The community suffers from a lack of potable water, and its inhabitants often have to walk long distances to obtain water, which is usually contaminated.

Residents experience severe illness resulting from poor water quality. For several years this community has been struggling to obtain clean water and has solicited the Peace Corps and other organizations for help with their cause.

Gabriel has worked extensively with the community to do a comprehensive assessment, and develop plans for developing a clean reliable water source.

A water committee has been formed and is in the process of being trained. The committee has shown remarkable motivation and commitment. The community has already been able to raise over a thousand dollars on their own. To ensure sustainability, the families have begun to collect user fees as a reserve for needed maintenance.

There are 110 people living in 42 houses who will be served by this project.

Project funds will be used to purchase materials, including rebar, wire mesh, cement, sand, gravel, wire, aluminum lids, plywood, tarp, paint and plumbing fixtures.

The construction of this tank will take 5 days to complete, and is beginning at once. In conjunction with providing a key component for the water system in Los Uveros, the construction of the tank will be used to train Haitian workers on the construction of inexpensive ferro-cement tanks.

To indicate your desire for your contribution to be allocated toward this project, please click the Donate button below.

Six Senses Resorts & Spas has graciously offered to provide matching funds for donations contributed for this project.

We acknowledge the generous donation of $1,000 from Henry Polgar, Dunfries, VA, USA, with the dedication:

This donation is made on behalf of the Panamerican-Panafrican Assoc (Japan office) and is inspired by the work of Tim McFarren who has for many years worked on sustainable technologies.

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

Conclusion of Los Uveros Water System Project – Dominican Republic

This project has been successfully completed, under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Gabriel Miller. To see the history of the project CLICK HERE.

The project was to construct an 11,000 liter ferro-cement tank for water storage in the community of Los Uveros, Altamira, Dominican Republic. It was the first tank built as part of the Ferro-Cement Tanks for the Dominican Republic and Haiti Program.

Here is Gabriel’s report:

Los Uveros Water Tank
The 10,000 liter ferro-cement water tank in Los Uveros was completed successfully on June 29th, 2010. The tank was the first of three water tanks completed as part of a training for several Haitians that will continue building ferro-cement tanks in Haiti. The tank took five days to complete. A brief outline of the process of the tank construction and training is included below.

Preparation:
The week prior to the tank training all of the materials were purchased. The area for the tank was cleared and prepared. The sand and gravel were moved to the site. Due to the poor quality of the purchased sand, all of the sand had to be washed. It is important for ferro cement tanks that the sand be well washed. Silt and clay in the concrete mix can cause weaknesses. In addition, all of the plumbing for the tank was prepared beforehand.

Day 1:
During the first day of construction a 10 cm thick concrete floor for the tank was installed. All of the plumbing is buried in concrete beneath the floor, including the intake, outtake, overflow and cleanout. After completion of the floor the chicken wire and rebar wall was assembled. The wall uses a rebar mesh for the form of the tank and chicken wire tied on both sides of the wall, which provides tensile strength in the tank wall. Work was finished slightly early on the first day due to heavy rains that came.

Day 2:
Following completion of the floor and the wall structure, the wall was tied to the floor in a circular form. A tarp was tied around the outside of the wall structure to provide a surface for the first concrete mixture to stick, which is course sand and cement mix.

Day 3:
During the third day of construction a second layer of sifted course sand were put up on the inside and outside of the wall. The inside layer includes an additive, called Sika-1, to help make the concrete mixture impermeable. A float and sponge were used on the outside layer to finish it for aesthetics.

Day 4:
Two more layers were added on the inside of the tank during the fourth day of construction. This includes a layer of fine sand and cement with the Sika additive and finally coat of pure cement. The final coat of pure cement helps seal any cracks that might have formed in the concrete. After the final two coats on the wall a thin mixture of fine sand and cement were also layered on the floor. Since time was still remaining on the fourth day, a stone masonry valve box was also constructed.

Day 5:
During the final day of construction the roof of the tank was completed. First a structure of sticks and tree branches was constructed within the tank to support the roof. On top of the stick structure palm leaves were used (instead of plywood to save cost) to provide a surface to support the concrete roof. As with the walls, a chicken wire and rebar structure was created to provide the roof concrete with tensile strength.

We are grateful to Gabriel and the entire crew that helped in the construction of this water storage tank. It is a pioneering effort that demonstrates a number of factors, including the organizational approach, the technology, and the training aspects.

As the project was a complete success on all levels, we were able to proceed immediately to undertake the second tank in the series, the El Brison Water System Project – Dominican Republic.

We again wish to thank Henry Polgar, on behalf of the Panamerican-Panafrican Association (Japan office) for the generous contribution.

We also extend our thanks to Six Senses Resorts & Spas for providing matching funds for this project. Without their commitment, this project, and the entire ferro-cement tank program, could not have become a reality.

Matinang Spring Water Project – Philippines

Habitat Philippines has been building homes in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao for almost a decade in its “Peace Build” program. Several of these communities were left with a need for safe and reliable drinking water.

Habitat Philippines states:

Amid the intermittent armed conflict between the government and Muslim-led groups fighting for self-determination, Habitat for Humanity has sought to contribute to the cause of peace by building houses for both Muslim and Christian victims of the armed conflict, including ex-MNLF fighters. These projects have been dubbed "Peace Builds," and they help contribute to the improvement of Christian-Muslim relations, with Filipinos of both faiths, including government soldiers and ex-combatants, rebuilding houses and communities together.

Sitio Matinang, Bual, Isulan, Sultan Kudarat (hereinafter referred to as Matinang), consists of 24 families. Homepartners have had houses built, but live there without clean and accessible water, a basic requirement towards the attainment of a holistic community.

Matinang has a source of spring water that is 200 meters away from the site perimeter but it is inadequate to support the needs of the entire community. In cooperation with the Habitat local management council in Matinang, the spring will be freed of contamination, and a reservoir will be constructed.

The project recognizes the need for sustainability and capacity-building, including institutional and community development. There will be management and leadership training for community-elected officers.

In addition, homepartners will be trained in health care, hygiene, and sanitation, and the communities will be trained in water and watershed management.

Skilled workers and laborers will be hired from within the community. Youth group volunteers will help in tree planting and other related activities for the protection of the project.

Beneficiaries will be required to contribute labor to the project to ensure their commitment to the project. A minimal amount will be charged to sustain operations such as administrative costs, maintenance, and services.

This project is being administered by Sharon Keld, a Peace Corps Response Volunteer serving in the Philippines. Sharon previously served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco (’06-’08).

This project has now been fully funded through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and Peace Corps Response Volunteer Sharon Keld of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Sharon and/or those of other RPCVs and PCRVs.

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

Conclusion of Matinang Spring Water Project – Philippines

This project has been completed. To read about the beginning of the project, CLICK HERE.

Initial planning was administered by Sharon Keld, who was serving as a Peace Corps Response Volunteer in the Philippines. Sharon finished her tour, and handed off the management to Margie Moran-Floriendo, the Co-Chair of Friends of Habitat for Humanity Philippines, and Beth Quijano of Habitat’s technical team, who saw the project through to completion.

The project, for the installation of a new water system in Matinang, resulted in clean water being made available for 24 families. Under the project, the nearby spring was freed of contamination and a reservoir was constructed to service the homes. In addition, two trainings on proper hygiene and one training on water source management were conducted.

We are grateful Six Senses Resorts & Spas for providing the funding for this project.

Moringa Ride – Togo: A Move to Reduce World Hunger

Water Charity believes that the extensive cultivation of the Moringa tree throughout developing nations will play a key element in reducing malnutrition in the world in coming years.

The objective of Moringa Ride will be accomplished through the efforts of Peace Corps Volunteers and Togolese counterparts. Eight Volunteers and eight Togolese will ride bicycles to thirteen selected villages and towns in the northern Savannah region of Togo.

At each community, they will teach the villagers the benefits of the Moringa tree and instruct them in the cultivation of the plant. They will disseminate seeds and help with the initial crop.

The trip will take three nights and four days, covering 30 to 40 kilometers each day. It is being led by Peace Corps Volunteer William Vu.

The Savannah region shares some of the same Sahelian semi-arid climatic conditions as its neighbors Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Benin. It is ranked as the country’s poorest region with 90 percent of the population, more than 650,000 people, either unemployed or earning only a fraction of the average $360 per year annual income. Malnutrition is prevalent in this area.

The Moringa tree is often called the “Miracle Tree”, as it is so high in nutritional value. Almost every part can be used for food or has some other beneficial use.

The leaves are a significant source of beta-carotene, Vitamin C, protein, iron, and potassium. The leaves can be eaten fresh, cooked. or dried and crushed into a powder.

The Moringa seeds yield a useful botanical oil. The seed cake that remains may be used to purify water, and can also serve as a fertilizer. In addition, the bark, sap, roots and flowers all have beneficial uses

The presentation to each community will include an explanation of the importance of proper nutrition, and how Moringa fits into overall health. The usage and preparation of each part of the tree will be taught.

Each village will be given 200 Moringa seeds to start a tree nursery. This will jumpstart the community to grow its own Moringa trees, and will leave a sustainable legacy from the ride.

This effort includes a large undertaking on the part of the communities that are visited. Each will provide a selected parcel of land to start the first Moringa nursery. Local villagers will be responsible for the upkeep of the planted trees as well as sharing the technology with others in the community.

It is estimated that at least 100 people will participate in this project in each of the 13 villages, so 1,300 people will directly benefit.

We are extremely pleased to play a part in this great effort. Hundreds of people in 13 communities will benefit directly from the ride, but the significance of the undertaking far surpasses the immediate result. It will demonstrate a methodology for continuing to spread the concept of the beneficial use of the Moringa tree to the rest of Togo, the other African nations, and the world.

This project has now been fully funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Volunteer William Vu of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by William and/or those of his counterpart PCVs in Togo.

To read a progress report on this project, CLICK HERE

Moringa Tree Plantation Project - Togo

The Moringa tree, commonly know as the “Miracle Tree”, is seen to be an important tool to help combat malnutrition. Its leaves are extremely high in nutritional value, and almost every part can be used for food or for some other beneficial use. The seeds can be used to filter pollutants from water to make it potable.

The cultivation of the Moringa tree also plays a very important role in the management of land and the control of the water cycle. Reforestation reduces the erosion that pollutes waterways. The root structure of the trees helps preserve the moisture in the soil, and aids in building a clean ground water supply.

Due to a lack of financial means and the arid climate, the northern part of Togo suffers the most acute problem of malnutrition throughout the country.

This project is to start a Moringa tree plantation in a small village in the Savannah region of Togo. The objective is to introduce Moringa leaves and powder into the local market on a grand scale, and ultimately to alleviate the acute malnutrition that is common to the region.

Mango and Leucena trees will be grown alongside the Moringa trees, in an effort to aid in the reforestation in the region, and for additional nutritional diversity.

In addition, a literacy program will be undertaken as a subsidiary project, with profits from the sale of Moringa trees used to fund an annual training program.

By starting a Moringa plantation, the community will be presented with an affordable option to ensure their dietary needs. The plantation, run by a large number of village women, will become a visible model of what can be accomplished.

Once the trees are planted, women will be trained to manage the distribution and business side of the plantation. The business will function as a nonprofit organization, with all revenues returning back to the community.

Project funds will be used to purchase all the seeds, tools, and supplies necessary to start the plantation.

The community will contribute to the project by providing the labor necessary to get the plantation underway.

The project will be managed by two local trainers, with the active participation of 100 village women.

Once the harvest begins, the women will be responsible for directly transporting the leaves to the market for sale.

Direct beneficiaries will be the women participants and their families, totalling over 600 people. In addition, there will be the indirect benefit to the people in the local communities, numbering in the thousands, in making available the significant dietary benefit of the Moringa tree, and thereby impacting on malnutrition.

The plantation will be a stepping stone to the widespread use of Moringa. The education in the use of the moringa in the family diet, the business training, and the literary program, serve together as a tremendous opportunity for the empowerment of local women.

Upon approval of this project, William immediately reported:

I just got a chance to go to our regional capital today to make the preliminary purchases for our nursery. The women in my village are ready to work.

This excellent project fits directly within the Water Charity model in that we were able to be instrumental in getting a well-planned project underway at once. It will have impact far beyond the financial amount needed to start the project in its impact on the public health of the region.

This project has now been fully funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Volunteer William Vu of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by William and/or those of his counterpart PCVs in Togo.

Natural Well Development Project - Swaziland

The climate is temperate in the west, but reaches 104 degrees in summer in the lowveld. The rainy season is during the summer, when rainfall may reach 78 inches in the west.

This project is to be done in a community located in the rural, dry lowveld. An extremely high unemployment rate, the highest global rate of HIV/AIDS occurrence, and a recent drought have hindered all development efforts while making progress all the more necessary.

One of the most pressing issues facing community members is lack of clean and reliable sources of water for drinking and sustaining small gardens (often the only reliable source of food for rural Swazi families). Current water supplies are prohibitively expensive to develop and maintain and people are continually dependent upon rain fall.

This project is to convert a local naturally-occurring well into a functioning tap. It is being carried out under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Serena Parcell in collaboration with the community. The project was developed with the help of a local rural water expert, after a series of community-wide meetings.

The community is contributing all of the labor and some of the funds for materials. Total community participation is 33% of the project cost.

This project will provide approximately 1,000 community members, located within a one-mile range of the well, with access to clean water. Thus it will have a tremendously high impact for the money spent.

This project has been funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a major contributor, as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

Any additional donations using the Donate button below will be used to fund other projects by this PCV and/or other PCVs in this country.

This project has been completed. To read about the concusion, CLICK HERE.

Ndvwabangeni Dam Project – Swaziland

Ndvwabangeni is, by Swazi standards, a very large community located in the northern Hhohho region of Swaziland. It is situated in an area between the Matsamo border post and a small town called Buhleni.

This project is to construct a scoop dam as a means to alleviate the water shortage. The dam will be located in a central area in the community where it is possible for families to start their own gardens next to the dam. The project is being carried out under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Melissa Lin.

At present, during the dry season, local water sources are not sufficient to support the community. The stream that will supply the dam runs year round, thereby providing the community with a constant source of water. This water will be used for gardening, farming, and other everyday needs.

The community members who initiated and are involved in the project are the members of the Ndvwabangeni Inner Council. They form the community’s local traditional government. As the local representatives they hold a great amount of power to mobilize people to carry out and complete projects.

The community will provide all the labor, tools, and transportation of materials for the building of the dam. A government organization has donated the use of its bulldozer for the project.

Project funds will be used to purchase the materials to construct the dam and put in the piping, a tap, a concrete wall, and fencing to protect the water supply.

Funds will be collected from the community to be used for future repairs, thus ensuring sustainability.

965 people will directly benefit from this project. It provides not only a water source, but also impacts directly on the issues of malnutrition and food security.

This project has now been fully funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Volunteer Melissa Lin of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Melissa and/or those of her counterpart PCVs in Swaziland.

Payton’s Water Catchment Project in El Salvador

Located about 45 minutes from San Salvador, Los Mangos has 53 families. The population is served by the Los Mangos Community Health Clinic. The clinic is without water, a condition that hampers its ability to deliver services to the community.

This project will provide a rainwater collection system for the clinic. The system will consist of a tank, a gutter collection system, and piping between the gutters, the tank, and the clinic.

The project was initiated and will be implemented by Payton Phillips Garcia and Jeff Gould. Payton is a Lecturer in the Spanish Department at the University of Southern California, with a longstanding interest in El Salvador and a strong relationship with the Salvadoran community of Los Angeles.

Jeff is an Engineering Contractor in San Pedro, California, who spends much time and does a lot of charitable work in El Salvador. Payton and Jeff will see the project through to completion.

This project is very exciting to Water Charity in that it is the first time that we are attempting to engage and work with an ethnic co mmunity in the U.S. to assist them in giving support to projects in their native country.

Los Angeles has the largest number of Salvadorans of any city outside of El Salvador. Los Angeles and San Salvador are Sister Cities. Many Salvadoran-Americans, in addition to helping family members who remain in El Salvador, are looking to improve living conditions in their homeland.

Support will come from financial contributions from those who are able. For those with limited resources, volunteer effort will be helpful. By generating interest and spreading the word, a larger support base can be developed.

This project is consistent with our objective of doing small, high-impact projects very quickly, utilizing local resources. It is a model project that can be replicated in other communities of El Salvador and elsewhere.

Any public building with a large roof surface, such as a school, health clinic, or community center can be a target candidate. Thus, this type of project can be an adjunct to an education program, a public health program, or a community development program. By joining forces with other assistance efforts, we are able to multiply our impact.

This project has been fully funded through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Payton of your contribution. Additional funds will be used to fund other projects in El Salvador.

To read about the conclusion of this project, CLICK HERE

Punta Sirain Water System Project – Panama

The combination of the improved spring source and distribution system, together with the rainwater catchment tanks, will give everyone in the community equitable access to potable water.

This project will be implemented by Peace Corps Volunteer Kaitlin Green, in conjunction with the Punta Sirain Water Committee, and the community at large.

Punta Sirain is a small rural indigenous community of 300 inhabitants. It is located on the tip of the Peninsula Valiente, part of the Comarca Ngöbe-Bugle protected lands, on the Caribbean coast of Panama. East of the Bocas del Toro archipelago and lacking roads, busses, or cars, the area is only accessible via a 90-minute boat ride from Chiriquí Grande or a 2-hour boat ride from Isla Colon. The remoteness and difficult accessibility makes the region tricky and expensive to develop, yet rich with natural beauty and culture.

The community has an existing gravity-fed aqueduct system. However, due in part to the topography, it is inadequate in size and scope, leaving most homes without easily-accessible water.

The project will start with the improvement of the aqueduct system to better serve those that are connected.

An existing spring box, presently serves a small portion of the community. It is uncovered, and untreated water flows into loose tap stands.

The spring will be protected, and a treatment chamber will be built. Four cement tap stands will be installed at communal posts, about a half-mile away.

The 40 homes that cannot be served by the aqueduct system will participate in a program to install rainwater catchment systems. All of the homes with zinc roofs, totaling 30, will participate.

The tanks will be industrial-sized manufactured 100-gallon tanks, purchased with project funds. Gutter systems made of PVC will be installed to collect the water. Water will be piped into the kitchens using PVC tubing.

The community will contribute about 1/3 of the project cost, including labor to repair the aqueduct and materials and labor for the construction of the wooden tank stands.

The community will be encouraged to use the communal tap stands as well as the rainwater catchment systems instead of fetching water from unprotected springs and the creek.

The improvements are expected to drastically increase the quantity and quality of the water available in the community, and thereby reduce illness caused by waterborne disease.

The beneficiaries will contribute to the project by investing $5 per drum. Each participating family will be required to attend a workshop regarding water conservation and basic hygiene.

The workshops will be lead by Peace Corps Volunteers and community health promoters. The goal will be to increase knowledge about disease transmission and teach skills to improve household water use and storage.

Skills to be acquired by participants in this project include ownership, managerial leadership, labor and construction planning, volunteerism, education on conservation, disease transmission, and hygiene, as well as maintenance skills.

The implementation of this project will reduce disease, promote overall hygiene and health, give homes individual responsibility for their family’s water supply, and give everyone in the community access to clean water.

To indicate your desire for your contribution to be allocated toward this project, please click the Donate button below.

Regional Reforestation Project - Cameroon

Cameroon is bordered by Nigeria on the west, Chad on the northeast, the Central African Republic on the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo on the south. The Extreme North has a population of about 2 million people.

The region suffers from sparse rainfall and high median temperatures. Its characteristic vegetation is savanna scrub and grass. It is experiencing deforestation, erosion, soil infertility, and desertification.

Reforestation is the restocking of existing forests and woodlands which have been depleted. In addition to mitigating the degradation, reforestation can also improve the quality of life by soaking up pollution and dust from the air, rebuilding natural habitats and ecosystems, and mitigating the effects of global warming.

The project has the ultimate goal of improving environmental conditions and community practices. It will combine the leadership and organizational skills of community leaders from groups such as schools, churches and mosques with the technical knowledge to start and maintain local tree nurseries.

The project will support the efforts of the communities of the region by assisting local leaders in taking charge of remediation of their local environmental problems.

The project will also support the local economy by providing financial compensation to local tree nurseries for the trees planted.

Participating communities will benefit by the increased availability of trees in the marketplace for their local use.

Technical expertise and environmental education will be provided to the communities and schools, which will have a long-lasting effect on the region.

The project is being run by Peace Corps Volunteer M. Cleaver.

This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Volunteer M. Cleaver of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by this PCV and/or other projects by PCVs in Cameroon.

Reservoir Construction Project – Ethiopia

The community, now 13,000 strong, relies on local water springs for a constant source of fresh water. These water springs are unprotected from debris, and water that is not collected flows along mismanaged waterways. This creates seasonal overflow and ground erosion.

During times of heavy rain access to the springs is difficult. Furthermore, there is high rate of waterborne illnesses due to the accumulation of contaminated water.

This project is to create a number of stone reservoirs to protect the natural springs that serve the community. This will ensure access to clean drinking water as well as control the water run-off in a responsible way.

The project is being implemented under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Gail Bachman.

The community will provide materials needed in the construction of the stone reservoirs. Volunteer workers have organized to create a management team as well as to assist in the construction.

Local health extension workers have volunteered their time to help educate the community on the importance of safe water practices.

This is a very worthy project that will impact upon a great number of people in need of year-round access to clean water.

The participation of Water Charity in this project has now been funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

Any donations using the Donate button below will go toward additional water and sanitation projects in Ethiopia.

Safe Water for Rural Communities NOW! – Haiti

The immediate response has been to scale up production of chlorine and provide chlorine and buckets to families in the areas surrounding Port-au-Prince, the city most affected by the devastation.

In the longer term, it is anticipated that rural areas will experience an influx of refugees from the destruction of Port-au-Prince and overwhelm current rural water supplies. Increasing the capacity for household water treatment in rural Haiti will provide clean drinking water to the refugee population and the existing population.

In a crisis situation, simple solutions which are easy to implement at once are called for. Teams on the ground will provide safe storage systems (a bucket with tap and lid), chlorine supply, and training to affected, rural families and communities.

The chlorine solution that is used is that recommended by the Center for Disease Control. The simple water treatment system allows families to obtain water from any source, add one capful of chlorine solution to 5 gallons of water, wait 30 minutes, and then drink safe water. Experience shows that even the poorest families can treat their own water regularly with this system.

Sources for chlorine generators, buckets, taps, and chlorine tablets and granules have been established. Emergency response personnel will visit affected rural communities, identify community health workers who can assist with the distribution, and train technicians to implement and teach the processes and ensure compliance.

Your donation is urgently requested to assist us in this endeavor. Please click on the Donate button below. 100% of your contribution will immediately go directly toward work on the ground in this emergency relief effort.

Flash:  Every dollar you donate will be matched by Six Senses Resorts & Spas!

Sanitary Bathrooms Project – Paraguay

This project will provide latrines for 21 families, comprised of 120 adults and children. It is a natural extension of a project that was begun in 2008 under the direction of a prior Peace Corps Volunteer working in the community. All construction work will be done by local professionals.

Barrio Maria Auxiliadora, Calle San Francisco, Guayaivi, San Pedro, Paraguay, is home to approximately 112 families, comprised of 650 people. While Guarani is the most commonly spoken language, the majority of the community also speaks Spanish.

This hard-working, well-organized community has an elementary and high school, a successful agricultural cooperative, various community groups/committees, two churches, small family shops, and soccer fields.

Most homes have running water and electricity. The principal economic activity is agriculture. Farmers primarily produce fruit, such as bananas and pineapples, and the average family income is about US $5.00 per day.

Although educational opportunities for children have improved, the average adult has only an elementary school education.

Intestinal parasites are one of the most serious health problems in Paraguay, affecting more than 90% of the country’s children, including most people in this community. According to a recent community census, nearly half the families lack a bathroom, and 85% of latrines are unsanitary.

An unsanitary latrine directly contributes to the presence of parasites, through exposed feces and flies that are attracted. This impacts on the entire community, with children more heavily affected.

The project is being implemented by committee participants, who attend regular meetings, organize fundraisers, pay monthly dues, and participate in Peace Corps-organized health classes.

A Paraguayan NGO is contributing 38% of total project costs. To ensure community ownership and sustainability, participants are contributing one third of the cost of materials and labor. The remaining funds for materials are being provided through donor contributions.

This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Volunteer Michelle Pfister of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Michelle and/or those of her counterpart PCVs in Paraguay.

Santa Apolonia Composting Latrines Project - Guatemala

In the municipality of Santa Apolonia, Ellen works with two rural agricultural communities, Chuaparal I—an indigenous population—and Cojulya—a primarily Ladino population. Over half of the 47 families in the two groups do not have latrines. For those that do, the latrines, which often serve for more than one family, are in poor condition and do little to aid fecal control.

The communities are plagued by chronic diarrhea and other gastrointestinal diseases. The groups have requested a community latrine project, which will benefit a combined 300 men, women, and children.

Ellen is part of the Rural Home Preventive Health project, Peace Corps Guatemala. Volunteers are partnered with local health centers in various municipalities. Each health center reports to departmental level health centers which then report to the ministry of health.

Volunteers work with health center personnel to inform the local populace about preventive health habits and then to construct needed technology.

The water table is high in both communities, and pit latrines contaminate the ground water. Thus, composting latrines are the best option for the families.

Composting latrines are above ground and do not contaminate the water table. The movable seat sits on top of one side of a large cement box that is separated into two compartments. One side is used at a time, throwing ash or other dry matter after each use (to aid in decomposition) until it is full. The side is then sealed with a cement top and after six months the fecal matter decomposes into compost. During this time the family is using the other side of the latrine and the cycle continues.

The nutrient-rich compost is then used in the fields to enhance the quality of the crops. Furthermore, the composting latrine has a life-span that is over four times that of a pit latrine. The women have also noted that these latrines alleviate the common fear of children falling into pit latrines.

The latrines require continual education. Therefore, several models will be constructed, two in a school shared by the communities and three in group member homes. The school models will aid in instructing the children how to use the latrines and the home models will allow for the families to share their experiences.

All members of the interested families will be required to attend several presentations on the importance of the latrines, how they function, and how to maintain them. After three months, the families will construct their latrines with the help of a mason.

The two women’s groups are currently forming a single legalized group in order to aid one another in bettering the health of their communities. The primary goals of the group are to further education regarding preventive health and to provide needed technology projects for the communities.

For this project, the elected representatives of the group will not only be helping with the implementation of the project, but also teaching community members about the importance of a latrine for family health. The experience of this project will enable the united women to continue education and create future projects.

The community will provide the labor and all gravel needed for construction. The municipality will provide the funding and labor for the five models. In addition, the municipality has agreed to supply sand, transport of materials, and the mason for the family latrines.

This is a terrific project, which has brought together many entities and funding sources to get the job done. Water Charity is pleased to be able to enable the proliferation of composting latrines in these communities, leading to great impact on their public health.

$0.00 - This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts and Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

Any additional donations using the Donate button below will be used to fund other projects by this PCV and/or other PCVs in this country.

School Cafeteria Improvement Project – Moldova

This school, in partnership with the community and the Mayor’s office, has previously completed a number of capacity-building projects, including providing new bathroom facilities. School windows were replaced with efficient ones, and an intercom is presently being installed.

In conjunction with the repairs, personal hygiene seminars were conducted with the students.

The community is continuing with various other improvements, such as fixing the potable water system and repairing the cultural center.

This project is being carried out under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Martin Ellinger-Locke.

The project is consistent with our objective to provide the “last dollar” needed for a project to get underway. As a part of a larger school and community effort, there is benefit in the synergy created by doing a number of improvements at once.

Finally, there is the benefit achieved from “fixing”, rather than building from scratch, as a huge impact is obtained from minimal dollars spent.

You can designate that your contribution be used specifically for this project by clicking on the Donate button below.

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

We are still accepting donations for this project. Any additional funds received will be allocated to follow up project by Martin and/or project by his PCV counterparts in Moldova.

Conclusion of School Cafeteria Improvement Project – Moldova

This project has been successfully completed, under the direction of Martin Ellinger-Locke. To see the history of this project CLICK HERE.

The project was designed to be a part of a larger project to improve the kitchen and cafeteria of this school in Petrunea, Glodeni, Moldova. The participation of Water Charity was to provide new fixtures and improve the plumbing and drainage systems.

Martin reports:

At my school there are 385 students, as well as 40 faculty members and staff who all count on the school cafeteria for their daily lunch. Before the implementation of this project the facilities used for food preparation and cleaning were unsanitary and very inefficient.

Project funds were used to pay for:

• A brand new stainless steel sink
• Repairs to the drainage system (It hadn't worked in over 20 years)
• A hand washing sink and faucet
• Vastly improved conditions in the dish-washing area (New tile, wall panels and a window)
• Faucets (A hose was previously used)
• Piping for all of the new and old sinks (they were mostly deteriorated)
• Various other fixtures and equipment to improve the effectiveness of the cafeteria to deliver food services

There was a 30% community contribution that included a new door, cabinet and all of the labor.

Martin concludes:

Thank you so much on behalf of my school and community. The improvements you helped make will continue to benefit the health and well-being of many students for years and years to come.

School Flooding Remediation Project - Mexico

This project is being implemented in partnership with the Sexto Sol Center, a U.S. 50(c)(3) non-profit, with a mission to contribute to the elimination of poverty and the restoration of the damaged environment by promoting cooperative enterprise, environmentally sound agriculture, appropriate technology and conservation. Since 1997 they have assisted rural people in the Sierra Madre region of Chiapas, Mexico and repatriated refugee communities in Guatemala.

The project is being managed by Tamara Brennan, Ph.D., Sexto Sol’s Executive Director.

The school is located in El Malé, a community that former president Vicente Fox called the poorest town in Mexico. Two-hundred eighty children receive primary instruction at the school, and, along with the teachers and staff, will be the primary beneficiaries of the project.

At 10,000 feet elevation, the people grow potatoes, that they sell in the small city of Motozintla, or raise sheep. Mean household incomes are so low that nearly every family depends on the funds sent by a relative working in the U.S. The weather is very cold most of the year with very heavy rain for months. During the coldest months wet fog covers the region.

Flooding is a big problem at this elevation. The long roofs send a large volume of water sheeting down all day long.

According to Tamara:

The grounds of the school has poor drainage. Huge pools of standing water form that children must walk through to get to classrooms. The playground is inundated during days of heavy rains. The walkways are permanently wet and slippery. Mold forms on the buildings, roof and ground. The volume of water splashing off the roof corroded the metal doors to the bathroom. Classrooms have wooden floors that become wet and muddy which increases the humidity. The parents’ committee has identified this problem as the most urgent need to be met.

Given the poverty of the high country region, many children wear plastic sandals instead of proper shoes and nearly all suffer significant malnutrition. Without heat in the rooms, teachers tell us that they sometimes take children outside to sit when it stops raining because it is cold and damp inside the classrooms. The cold and malnutrition combined tax the energy of small children and affect their ability to concentrate and learn.

Project funds will be used to install rain gutters on the roofs of the classrooms with drainpipes leading to the street, where runoff will be channeled into a drainage ditch. These rain gutters, which comprise by far the largest project expenditure, will be custom made to accommodate the high amount of water that falls in a typical rain.

The implementation of the project has been coordinated to take into account the growing season, and the obligations that are placed on the community during this period. This will maximize their participation.

The parents have already done landscaping to reduce flooding. They will actively participate in the project, including the digging of a channel to catch the runoff and direct it off the site.

Water Charity is extremely pleased to be able to assist Sexto Sol, an organization that has been doing, and continues to do, such beneficial work in the community. This is our first project in Mexico, and we hope this will be the beginning of a strong relationship.

To contribute for this project, please use the Donate button below.

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

Conclusion of School Flooding Remediation Project – Mexico

This project has been completed under the direction of Tamara Brennan, Ph.D., Executive Director of Sexto Sol. To read about the beginning of this project, CLICK HERE.

The project called for the installation of rain gutters on the roofs of the classrooms as a means to alleviate the seasonal flooding at the Escuela Primaria "Estado de Colima, in El Male’ Chiapas, Mexico.

Tamara reports:

We installed the rain gutters with the very generous help of two volunteers who worked with Francisco Barrios of Sexto Sol. They worked for three days during what was the most frigidly cold weather in years. Several parents helped them over the course of the installation and in the follow-up trips to the community to finish up.

The welder who made the materials donated three days of work with his equipment, which was very generous of him. We had the expert help of a volunteer named David King, who has build skyscrapers in Florida.

Tamara expressed the gratitude of all involved in providing for this major improvement. The school, the community, and Sexto Sol are continuing to seek additional funding to upgrade and maintain the system.

School Improvement Project – Burkina Faso

We will participate in the implementation of the garden project, including the irrigation, in furtherance of the water and public health objectives of Water Charity.

The necessary seeds, fencing, and gardening tools will be purchased to start a garden which will provide food for the school lunch system and profits through small commerce.

Half of the production of the garden will go to the school’s lunch system to supplement nutrition of the daily diet of the children. The surplus of the garden will be sold in the village markets in order to ensure financial sustainability for the garden.

The women will gain hands-on garden training, which will maximize product output while giving them additional skills and confidence.

The work is being carried out under the leadership of Peace Corps Volunteer A. Spear, together with the local voluntary association of mothers. They will work alongside a parent’s association, which provides needed support for the schools and students.

The village is donating land for the location of the school garden. The women will be contributing their time. They will work mornings and evenings in the garden. In addition they will prepare the school lunches and clean the classrooms. The association is also contributing the labor to build the new roof.

This is another great example of how we can contribute the “last dollar” to get a project off the ground. We can assist in a coordinated effort consisting of various project components which together work toward the general improvement of the health and safety of the school.

To designate that you wish that your contribution be used specifically for this project, click on the Donate button below.

School Latrines Project in Mali

This project is being done in a very poor community, currently suffering under drought conditions. A secondary school was recently constructed, but there are not yet latrines for the schoolyard.

Diarrhea and dysentery are prevalent due to lack of sanitation.

Two sanitary latrines will be constructed at a secondary school, one for boys and one for girls. In addition handwashing stations will be built.

Project funds will be used to purchase cement, rebar, tin roofing, doors, paint, and other construction materials.

Villagers will go to the fields to provide 100 donkey carts of sand, 60 carts of gravel, and 12 carts of large rocks.

Local well-diggers will dig the latrine pits. Local masons will construct the latrines and hand-washing stations. The villagers will pay for the transportation of all purchased materials. Through the extensive use of local labor and resources, sustainability will be ensured.

The project is being done under the supervision of Peace Corps Volunteer Z. Mason.

As a result of this project, 7th through 9th grade students will be able to practice proper hygiene and thereby reduce disease transmission. Girls will especially benefit from the privacy afforded by the enclosed latrines.

You can designate that your contribution be used specifically for this project by clicking on the Donate button below.

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

Conclusion of School Latrines Project - Mali

This project has been completed under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Zac Mason. To read about the beginning of this project, CLICK HERE.

According to Zac:

Tounto is a settlement of some 4,000 people who are mostly simple millet farmers. They have a market, a small clinic, a primary school, and the recently built secondary school.

75 percent of all of the students at this school come down with diarrhea over the course of the year, and at least 65 percent come down with full-blown dysentery.

The project was to build sanitary latrines and handwashing stations at the Tounto Secondaire Cycle.

Zac reports:

Exceeding all expectations, we have three latrines – one for boys, one for girls, and one for teachers. And we have a barrel with a spigot that the students are going to fill with water so that they can wash their hands.

The women will provide handmade soap, and the students and adults of Tounto will be responsible for cleaning and maintaining the latrines.

Project funds were used to buy cement and other construction materials. Secondaire Cycle student body collected sand, gravel, gravel and rocks.

Brick masons made the bricks, and the Tounto Youth Association made up of young men in their teens and twenties, provided the bulk of the labor.

This project is estimated to serve 200 people. It will have a great effect on the school and community, in that it will eliminate the epidemiological hazards of open defecation. It will have the greatest effect on schoolgirls, in that it will eliminate the shame of exposing themselves to perform their bodily functions, and thereby make it easier for them to remain in school.

Our thanks go to Zac, for implementing the project despite the difficulties, and to all of the participants who made it possible.

School Toilet Construction Project – Tanzania

School students currently do not have adequate sanitation facilities, relying on a drop toilet made of local organic materials, or going outside the school.

The students, and the community as a whole, currently are impacted by various diseases caused by fecal-oral contamination. These include diarrhea, dysentery, intestinal worms, hepatitis, typhoid, and cholera. This is especially devastating to a people living with poor nutrition, a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, and impaired immune systems.

The project has the full support of the community, which has recognized the need for the latrines, but has been unable to do anything about it because of the lack of funds.

School Water Catchment and Piping Project – Tanzania

This is to reconstruct an existing water catchment tank that supplies water to one of the community’s two secondary schools. The current tank was poorly designed and is easily contaminated, and is currently a source of illness to the students. This project is the only means to provide the school with a dependable clean water source.

In addition to the reconstruction of the tank, a pipe will be built to the school. Then, piping will be run through the school, with valves to be placed in the kitchen, auditorium, toilet/shower room, clothes washing area, and garden.

The community’s total contribution to the project is about 30%. A local business is providing transportation. The school is donating the money to purchase the sand, gravel, stone, connectors, and wire mesh.

The Headmaster of the school and Peace Corps Volunteer E. Myers are administering this project. A training course on water-borne diseases and water users’ rights and responsibilities will be given to the teachers and water board.

Future maintenance costs and labor will be provided through the school’s miscellaneous fund, thus assuring sustainability.

This project will provide safe water to 200 students of the school. It is an immediate high-impact low-cost solution to the critical needs of the school.

This project has been funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as the major contributor, as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

Any additional donations using the Donate button below will be used to fund other projects by this PCV and/or other PCVs in this country.

School Water Supply Project - Burkina Faso

Currently, the only source of water for the school is a nearby well. However, the well is not reliable, typically drying up from February to late April. Furthermore, it is not safe to drink the untreated water, and the well presents a danger to the students trying to draw water.

Working with the Association Pour le Dévelopement des Adductions d’Eau Potable (ADAE), the primary school has found a solution in the construction of a supply line and faucet, which will provide treated potable water.

The project will be directed by Peace Corps Volunteer J. O’Meara

The community will provide 50% of the total project cost. Their contribution will be in the form of labor for construction, including the digging of the trenches for the pipes.

Project funds will be used for the purchase and transportation of materials.

This project provides a simple solution to a problem that affects all of the students at an elementary school. Providing them with clean water is expected to relieve them from the burden of procuring water from an unsafe well. It will reduce gastrointestinal illness and create a better learning environment.

This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Jennifer O’Meara of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Jennifer and/or those of her counterpart PCVs in Burkina Faso.

Soak Pits Project in Mali

The project is to construct 475 soak pits. A soak pit is a method of removing ground water by draining it down into the earth.

The funds provided by Water Charity are being used to purchase piping, cement, and plastic tarping needed to complete the pits. The project is being directed by Peace Corps Volunteer J. O’Keefe.

The construction of the soak pits will serve as both an opportunity to teach the specific methodology, and also as a focus to teach other clean water practices.

A soak pit is one way to reduce wastewater by sending it underground, purifying it, and ultimately into the water table. It is a large hole filled with rocks, with a pipe leading into it. The hole is covered with plastic and dirt, so that only wastewater entering the pipe can enter the hole.

Soak pits can last for years, resulting in such long-term benefits as a cleaner, more aesthetically pleasing environment, a reduction of mosquito breeding grounds and decreased risks of malaria.

In preparation for the project, an assigned leader form the community, together with the volunteer O’Keefe, visited every traditional latrine in the village to assess the need for soak pits, resulting in the list of soak pits to be built.

The community is providing all the labor in constructing the soak pits. They will also supply the sandstone which fills the pits to filter and absorb the unclean water. In addition, they are assisting in the purchasing and transporting materials.

There is extensive community participation, both in the planning and implementation. There will be little need for maintenance, and the effects will be long lasting. The village is providing materials, labor, and transportation, ensuring continued commitment and resulting in sustainability.

This project gives immediate relief from a major problem confronting the village, that of the spread of disease through standing water. In addition, it provides training and teaching opportunities.

To designate that your donation be used for this specific project, please click on the Donate button immediately below.

Soak-Away Pit Construction Project – Ghana

Soak-away pits can play a significant role in malaria prevention by eliminating the standing water that creates an environment for the proliferation of infected mosquitoes.

The project will be implemented under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Andrew Head.

Very few bathrooms in the community currently have soak-away pits. This leads to waste water accumulation and the pollution of public spaces. The sewage problem is intensified during the rainy season, which means that the project must be done before the rains come.

One way to prevent malaria is to reduce mosquito populations by removing breeding grounds. By digging the pit you allow the excess waste water to sink into the ground instead of polluting the surface.

Once the pit is dug and filled with stones, the mosquitoes can’t get to the water to breed, therefore eliminating or reducing the threat of malaria.

The project will promote the construction of soak-away pits by building one in the home of each participating junior high school student. Over a period of several weeks students will find stones, and then build the pits.

For construction of the pits, the students will measure sticks that are about three feet long. Then they will essentially make a three foot cube (three across by three wide by three deep). The pits are then filled with what are called cooking stones and then a pipe is run from the water drainage spot to the pit. The rocks are then covered with plastic or sack material and the dirt placed back on top. Ideally, when finished, the pits should only be seen as a pipe coming from the house and going into the ground. In that way all the water is kept below the surface.

The implementation of this project will allow the students to create a drama which will educate the community on malaria prevention. They will also engage in a competition for which the best-constructed pits will be recognized and prizes will be awarded.

Funds for the project will be used to purchase the materials for the building of the soak–away pits.

Over 50 pits will be built, serving a population of at least 300. In addition, other villagers who see the results of the project and learn the technology will copy the process and build many more pits.

This project has now been fully funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Volunteer Andrew Head of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Andrew and/or those of his counterpart PCVs in Ghana.

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

Conclusion of Soak-Away Pit Construction Project – Ghana

This project has been completed under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Andrew Head. To read about the beginning of this project, CLICK HERE.

The project was developed to prevent malaria by reducing mosquito populations and removing breeding grounds through soak-away pit construction.

Soak-away pits are simple to build and cost effective, as the materials are minimal. Ideally malaria rates will decrease and the community will understand the factors that led to this.

Students were educated in the reasons for soak away pits and how to construct them. They then passed that knowledge on to their families, building pits for their own houses. Neighbors saw the benefits of the pits, and joined in to construct their own.

The project was successful on a number of levels. Pits were built, directly reducing standing water. Students learned about the various ways of reducing malaria, and also the technology of building the pits. Finally, the experience will serve as motivation to the community to undertake further development efforts.

The project was funded through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas.

Solar Pump System Repair Project - Mali

The system consists of a groundwater pump and two water storage towers powered by an array of solar panels. The system includes a pump-serviced livestock-watering trough in the adjacent vicinity of the complex. In addition, there are 17 taps located in various places throughout the town.

At present, 14 out of the 17 tap heads are effectively useless, and an important pipe and the livestock-watering trough are broken beyond repair and cannot be turned off. The perpetually-flowing components create vast puddles of standing water which serve as a fertile environment for mosquito breeding.

Since the water supply is often exhausted, the water quality of the tap water is poor due to rust build-up, and few people drink from the solar pump system. The people have resorted to the use of the use of unsanitary uncovered wells in the vicinity, causing diarrhea, giardia, dysentery and worms in the community.

This project is to rebuild the broken solar pump-to-tap system by replacing the damaged taps with new lockable tap heads and repairing broken pipes and the broken livestock-watering trough. It will be administered by Peace Corps Volunteer Zac Mason.

The Water Committee will organize a system of assigning the keys to certain community members to make sure that only responsible adults can draw tap water, and they will implement a monthly payment system, to collect money for maintenance.

The Committee will pay for the transportation of the materials from Bamako to the village of Sanadougou. They will hire a local plumber to assemble the parts and a local blacksmith to weld the necessary pieces together. The Committee will also raise money from the villagers to help with the purchase of the new heads.

This project serves a town of 4,000 people. Repairing the existing system is an extremely cost-effective solution to the critical needs of the community. It is certain to result in a reduction of morbidity and mortality in the community caused by unsafe water.

This project has now been fully funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and your contribution will go toward Part 3 of this project.

Village Improvement Project - Fiji

Our project funds will be used for constructing a V-drain (a V-shaped cement drain) in an area prone to heavy water flow during rain. After the recent floods in Fiji, the village experienced landslides and flooding right up to some houses as a result of the hand-dug drains not being sufficient. A V-drain will be able to adequately handle a heavier flow of water and divert it away from houses.

Other work being done by the village includes building a cement footpath from one section of the village to another. Footpaths have been an ongoing project in the village, and the area targeted is the final priority area without a footpath. It is considered a priority by the village development committee because it is a heavily frequented place, and it becomes muddy and slippery after only a minimal amount of rainfall.

Finally, a cow fence will be constructed to house a number of village cows that are presently left to roam. Cow dung is prevalent around the outside of the village and is linked to health conditions such as leptospyrosis and typhoid. The dung is in areas where children play, and attracts flies that can pass on disease.

The work is being done under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer N. Parker. The village is contributing 38% of the total project cost.

The work being done has been identified by the village as of great importance to the safety and health of the people living there. The substantial commitment of labor and money by the community will ensure that the project components will be maintained into the future.

To make a donation for this project, click the Donate button below.

Water and Sanitation Project – Panama

The original aqueduct was built in 1985 and consists of a simple spring box, tank, and gravity-fed PVC tube system. Although the pipes were replaced 10 years ago, the system has again deteriorated. In addition, since the community has grown, and there is a greater demand for water, the system must be expanded.

The aqueduct project will first provide for the protection of the water source by reforestation of the land which surrounds it. This will serve to help maintain the water level as well.

Next, metal tubing will be placed over the section of PVC tubing that crosses over the river, to protect the pipe and prevent additional damage.

Finally, the tank will be resealed with a layer of cement and the 23-year-old water valves will be replaced.

For the construction of the 22 latrines, the community will be trained in their construction, maintenance, and use. 20-foot pit latrines will be hand dug at each location. The labor for digging and construction, including building the walls, will be provided by the recipient families.

Project funds will be used for purchasing materials for the roofs and floors of the latrines.

The project will result in the improvement in the health of the members of the community by providing a continuing safe water supply and sanitary facilities to meet their needs.

This project has been fully funded through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Volunteer M. Butterton of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by PCVs in Panama.

Well Construction Project - Senegal

This project is to construct a new well in a primary school. The community will build a 40 meter-deep bore well, lined with cement to ensure the sanitation of water.

The project will be carried out under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer M. Van Osdale.

The community is home to roughly 1,100 people, eight kilometers from the national highway and about 20 kilometers from the Senegal River, the closest freshwater source.

Located in the Sahel desert, Goudoude Diobe considers water a difficult commodity to acquire. There are currently two working wells. The first was built in 1993 and is 55 meters deep, the other built in 1995, is 45 meters deep.

Although there are three communal faucets, the water tower that supplies these faucets is located 2 kilometers away in the neighboring village of Goudoude Ndiouetbe, and often breaks down and remains broken for weeks at a time.

The water tower alone does not sufficiently meet the demands of the community. So, when it is broken, it substantially increases the workload for women and teenage girls who must go to the well, starting before dawn, to pull water.

The water table is very deep, and the women (sometimes men too) need to manually pull at least 20 bags/buckets of water each to suffice for the needs of their families for the day.

The principal of the small primary school has shown interest in planting more trees within the community and starting a school garden. This has not been possible to date because of lack of adequate water.

With the addition of another well, the community will benefit from a cleaner, newer source of water. The new well will also set up an excellent site for the addition of a much-needed water pump in the future.

This project satisfies a critical need for water. It arises from the community, and includes extensive community participation. Sustainability is built into the project, and the follow-up project is already on the drawing boards.

This project has been fully funded. If you wish to make a donation for subsequent projects by PCV M. Van Osdale and/or other PCVs in Senegal, you can use the Donate button below.

This project has been completed. To read about the concusion, CLICK HERE.

Women’s Center – Morocco

The Women’s Center will be a place for women to spend time outside of the home, attending literacy classes and learning handicraft skills such as sewing and embroidery.

In addition the Women’s Center will have a Health Room where the local nurse and midwife will donate their time. By attending health education sessions and bringing their children in for vaccinations, women will gain health knowledge and share it with their families.

The project is being implemented by Peace Corps Volunteer Erin Atwell.

Fourteen local girls met weekly to organize a plan for the center. The Ministries of Health and Social Development recognize the importance of this center and are providing the equipment necessary for the success of the project. The Association for Cooperation and Development is committed to making an initial contribution of land, as well as funding the monthly upkeep of the center.

Water Charity is pleased to be able to provide the plumbing and fixtures for the bathrooms and kitchen. This project demonstrates the profound impact that can be brought about by various organizations coming together for a common goal.

You can donate toward this project by clicking on the Donate button below.

The following donation is acknowledged and appreciated:

Cory and Sue Wilson - $100, with the dedication:

This donation is on behalf of our sister, Pattie Saunders of Las Vegas Nevada. Good luck and God bless.

Women’s Community Center Project – Paraguay

This is our first project in Paraguay, a South American country with over 6 million people. Paraguay shares borders with Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia. In rural areas, over 40% of the people lack a monthly income to cover basic necessities,

This project will be carried out by the committee Oñondivepa ‘all together’. A modest multi-purpose center will be built in order to create the first, and much needed, bread bakery in their community. Future plans include the making of other food products, soap and clothing, as well as more ambitious goals like computer classes.

Peace Corps Volunteer M. Lebon, who is administering the effort, states:

This project marks an exciting moment for Paraguayan women, as it boldly challenges strictly defined gender roles and seeks to confront numerous challenges seen in today’s agriculture-based communities. A lack of access to capital and the laborious responsibilities of managing a household without appliances like washing machines and microwaves leave women with few opportunities to leave their homes, reach out to neighboring women, and improve upon their quality of life.

A practical solution, which taps into their entrepreneurial spirit and capabilities, starts with their own gathering place, located in the community. Its construction will be not only the launching pad for their bread bakery, but also a place for educational activities, experimentation, future planning, and female bonding.

To make this a reality, the women have already raised significant capital to buy the property and pay for the title. The community participation in this project is over 33%.

Additionally and quite significantly, their husbands have committed to greatly assist with the center’s construction, while supporting the concept without reservation.

We are pleased to be able to participate in this great project. In addition to the potential economic benefit to families in the community, it has value in creating a platform to demonstrate that women are capable of taking action to control their futures.

Please contribute toward this project by clicking the Donate button below.

Projects With the Peace Corps

We work in close contact with the Peace Corps in Bolivia. Through their administration, we strive to get funds to Volunteers in the field, as quickly as possible, to aid in their water and sanitation projects.

The Peace Corps operates under the premise that they are there to provide manpower, education, and training, not money. Sustainability can only be achieved through helping and teaching. Their projects are generally implemented at a very low cost, and are designed for great impact.

As a general principle, the Peace Corps in Bolivia likes to use seed money to develop, test, and demonstrate a technology and a project methodology. Once proven to be worthwhile, the project can be emulated in other communities throughout the country.

Every water and sanitation project requires not only in-kind contributions from the community, but a financial commitment as well. In addition, the local government takes part in the project by providing its support, and also a financial contribution.

Presently, Volunteers are preparing proposals for projects that would be of great help to them in the communities in which they are working. The procedure for providing them with funding works as follows:

1. Volunteer proposals are submitted to the Peace Corps Partners Program, and posted on the Peace Corps website.
2. Water Charity funds individual projects, in whole or in part, depending on the situation.
3. Water Charity schedules our trips to enable us to participate in several of the projects in the field, and to evaluate the effectiveness of each endeavor.

The current project on which we are working with the Peace Corps in Bolivia can be summarized as follows:

One Volunteer working in the field of Basic Sanitation is involved in well drilling and construction of ferrocement water catchment tanks for areas that do not have a constant or clean water source.

Ferrocement tanks were introduced to Bolivia by Peace Corps and are designed to collect rain water from a suitable roof and to keep the water cool and clean until it is utilized by the community or family. In this community there is no constant water source, and the dry season lasts at least six months.

A 50,000 liter water tank will catch water off a corrugated tin roof covering the basketball court of the local school. The water collected will be directly used by the students for drinking and washing hands.

This project will demonstrate the value of this technology to local officials and communities, and will teach workers the technique so that it can be replicated.

The community already has many of the tools needed and the local municipal government has agreed to pay for transportation of materials and labor, as well as obtaining the needed sand and gravel as the community contribution towards the project.

The building process will take approximately 10 days and will include various local masons and workers as well as neighboring Peace Corps volunteers.

In addition to the methodology of constructing ferrocement tanks, we are working with the Peace Corps on other technologies that will be useful to Volunteers working in the field. You can read more about them in the Appropriate Technologies section.

Appropriate Technologies Resource Center

We are creating an Appropriate Technologies Resource Center. This will be a repository for references relating to the implementation of appropriate technologies in water and sanitation in developing areas. Most of the solutions are low-tech. They are simple to implement, based on skills which are easy to learn and teach, and utilize low-cost easily-obtainable materials.

We are accumulating a library, with resources in every medium, which will provide the basis for learning and teaching the skills necessary to implement all of the technologies in the field.

In addition, we are actively developing appropriate technologies. As mentioned in the Projects with the Peace Corps section, we are helping Volunteers in the field.

At present there are several volunteers who have potential projects, which would greatly enhance their effectiveness, based on new technologies. Three of these that we are developing and testing are the following:

(1) New water Well Drilling Technique. - This involves assembling materials and building a system based on low-cost parts, and deploying them to drill water wells up to 200 feet deep. We are currently testing the method locally. It is based on the components of a simple air drill, attached to a special drilling bit. The mechanism is attached to the end of a PVC pipe, a hole is started by hand, and then the drill continues the job. Water is put down the deepening shaft, the tailings are pumped out as drilling progresses, and the water is recycled.

(2) Solar Still – A particular problem exists in an area where the water that comes out of the wells is salty. An efficient and inexpensive method is needed to desalinate the water to make it potable. Although the distillation process takes time, and yields relatively small amounts of water, stills can be built of a size to fulfill the critical needs of a family. Furthermore, multiple stills can be joined to provide greater quantities.

(3) Horizontal Dry Wetlands – A Volunteer has identified a particular need for purifying and storing water. We are just beginning to study technologies that will be applicable to this area.

Projects with Global Water

We are finalizing plans to work with Global
Water, an organization with extensive experience with water and sanitation projects in Guatemala, other Central American countries, and Africa.

Following our strategy to “get things done now”, we are funding projects that Global Water has put together for implementation, using their network of NGOs established through years of projects together.

If we can provide the last dollars needed to implement a project that would otherwise sit on the shelf awaiting funding, we will be serving a great need.

We are discussing participating in a project involving acquiring, testing, and installing a reverse osmosis filtration system in a hospital in a rural area of Guatemala.

We will also participate in a package of water and sanitation projects in various rural communities. Rather than attack the situation one project at a time, water catchments, water storage and piping systems, latrines, and hand washing stations can be planned all at once, funded, and then built serially.

In addition, we are hoping to work with Global Water in the field of emergency action. They demonstrated their effectiveness in that area when they brought water purification equipment to Aceh after the area was destroyed by a tsunami. Water Charity is working to develop a preparedness to jump in and provide assistance in the case of disasters that occur in the future.

Involvement in Engineers Without Borders

Engineers Without Borders is a nonprofit organization which establishes partnerships with communities worldwide through its professional and student members. Chapters throughout the country take on engineering projects to help communities in need. They plan and implement the projects, and maintain continuing relationships with the people and projects to assure that they are sustainable.

We have offered our assistance to our local chapter of Engineers Without Borders, Inland Empire Professionals, serving Riverside and San Bernardino Counties in California. They are in the process of preparing an application for approval by the national organization which will be in carried out in Aldea San Lorenzo El Tejar, Guatemala. It involves two phases. In the first, a non-functional water tank and pump will be repaired and an assessment will be made of other work to be accomplished. Phase Two will involve designing and installing water systems to meet the needs of the community.

Inland Empire Professionals remains active in local projects as well. These include the volunteering of services for an Inland Waterway Cleanup of Chino Creek on El Prado Road, in Chino, in October. The El Prado Road site is commonly used as a dump site and the residual garbage and trash ends up in Chino Creek. The creek is a tributary of the Santa Ana River which provides drinking water for Orange County residents and habitat for wildlife.

In addition, members volunteer their services for construction projects on weekends in conjunction with Amor Ministries, in Tijuana, Baja California.

Amigos de Bolivia y Peru

We are involved with Amigos de Bolivia y Peru, an organization for returned Peace Corps Volunteers who served in those two countries. Amigos develops projects directly, and also contributes to the Kantuta Program. Kantuta aims to reconnect Returned Peace Corps Volunteers to the two countries of service and to facilitate their involvement in grassroots development efforts in the Andean region.

The specific objectives are to support projects which fill a need, are sustainable and require participation by the community or recipient organization, involving their provision of labor and/or in-kind resources.

Local Community Action

The group, Green Team Arrowhead, consists of like-minded individuals from various backgrounds, who are involved in different sectors of the economy. We come together to see what we can do to promote ecology, energy efficiency, and sustainability, along with other social goals.

Rather than talk, we do. One person proposes a project, and the others jump in to help bring it to fruition. Some projects may be of immediate benefit to the community and some involve developing and testing concepts for applicability in developing areas. But an overriding objective is to bring awareness the community and beyond about environmental issues.

We are working on such diverse projects as the development of a still for making ethanol, designing a solar swamp cooler, and building a green house.

Longer-term projects are discussed as well, including more efficient power plants, large-scale desalination, and harnessing the power of organic waste.

The group has gotten behind the Water Charity Electric Porsche project, as discussed in the section under that name.

We plan community events to increase the awareness of people regarding environmental factors, clean energy, and the green economy. We are putting on an Earth Day Celebration for the mountain communities involving government, industry, educational institutions, charities, and other organizations and individuals.

Water Charity Electric Porsche Project

To aid in bringing Water Charity into the public eye, we are working on the Electric Porsche Project. We are doing this with our own funds, and there is no use of Water Charity money for this project.

We are converting a 1975 Porsche 914 to run on electric power. When completed, it will have a top speed of 100 miles per hour and a range of 150 miles. It will prominently be marked with Water Charity and Electric designations, and will be sure to attract lots of attention to both topics.

We have acquired the car and are moving on to the next stages. The gas engine will be removed and new suspension installed to handle the battery weight. The car will then be taken to the paint shop. Once we get it back, we’ll drop in the electric motor, hook it up to the clutch and transmission, install the controller, put in low- and high-voltage wiring, and drop in the batteries. We’ll plug it in to the wall socket, wait 6 hours, and then drive it home.

The Engine is Out

We took delivery of the car at Redtop Auto in San Bernardino. Bill Kirschner, the owner, is very committed to the cause. He and his technician Melissa are doing the heavy work.

The Porsche was driven from 1975 until the early 1980's, at which time it was parked in a field, with only 66,000 miles on it. Needless to say, it became the home to a lot of critters, and was in pretty poor shape when we got it.

We took the chrome wheels off and sent them out to be polished. We bought new tires. They are a compromise, based on the fact that we will be driving the Porsche in the mountains on slick roads in bad weather. Ideally, electric cars should have tires with low rolling resistance so as not to impede performance and range.

Bill and Melissa undid the engine bolts, cut the wires, cables, and tubes, and supported the engine on stands. Then, they lifted the car off the ground, leaving the engine behind.

The engine compartment is being degreased, and the car is being sent to the paint shop. We'll keep you updated.