Location
Sofievka, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine
Community Description
Sofievka is a district center located in between two big cities (Kryvyy Rih to the southwest and Dnipropetrovsk to the northeast) in Dnipropetrovsk Region, central Ukraine.
Sofievka is a town of about 10,000, although more people work and do business there, as it is the district center. It is located in the heart of Ukraine, surrounded by sunflower and wheat fields.
Nearby are two large cities, easy to reach by bus, which provides recreational activities and shopping options that are lacking in Sofievka. Unfortunately, most residents and students cannot afford to go into the cities often.
In the center of Sofievka are two schools: a secondary school and a professional lyceum. The Sofievka Professional Lyceum offers professional degrees to over 300 students who have finished either 9th or 11th grade at a secondary school.
Students study for two or three years and graduate qualified to be professional computer operators, accountants, laboratory specialists, agricultural specialists, tractor operators, or drivers. Most of these 15- to 20-year-old students come from the town of Sofievka or from other villages in the district, although some travel greater distances.
The lyceum has a dormitory that houses about 80 students, many from nearby villages who go home on the weekends, as well as about 6 orphans who live there year-round.
Sofievka has a long history of water problems. Groundwater is unsuitable for drinking or cooking and is only used for sanitary purposes. Potable water comes from nearby cities.
In the early 2000s, the entire town went without potable water for a few years, requiring each individual family and business to install a water basin and hire a water service to fill it up on a regular basis. Now, the common problem is the low water pressure and a basic lack of quality facilities.
When the lyceum was first built in the mid-1980s, the dormitory was designed to have a toilet and shower for every six students. Unfortunately, there has been little upkeep of these facilities; current staff can’t remember a time when the original toilets and showers were functional.
On the residential floor, there is now only one working toilet and two sinks for 80 students to use. Three floors below the dormitory is a single shower, as well as two additional sinks. There is an outhouse outside, but it is in deplorable condition.
Project Description
This project is to upgrade the facilities at the lyceum, including providing an additional toilet, two sinks, and a shower on the residential floor.
First, the toilet will be purchased and installed and the room painted and tiled.
Next, a non-functioning sink will be replaced by two new sinks, providing both hot and cold water.
Then, an existing shower will be remodeled by tiling the walls and floor. There is already a hot water heater available to warm the water for the students’ showers, necessary during Ukraine’s cold winters!
The main obstacle is that the current water and sewage system is so old that the water pressure is too low to reach the fourth floor.
Fortunately, lyceum staff have remedied this situation in other parts of the building by replacing antiquated pipes with new ones. The biggest piece of this project will be to replace existing pipes with new pipes that will improve water and sewage flow.
Project funds will be used to purchase all necessary materials.
Staff at the lyceum will provide all the labor, installing the toilet and sinks, laying tile, and refitting the water and sewage pipes.
Project Impact
380 people will benefit from the project, including the 300 students and staff and 80 residents of the lyceum.
Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Emma Griffis
Comments
The students, and particularly the residents, have been forced to endure terrible conditions. At the conclusion of the project, there will be two working toilets, two warm showers, and six sinks available for use. Although still far from ideal, this simple and practical project will add considerably to the health and well-being of those in need of facilities for hygiene and sanitation.
Dollar Amount of Project
$500.00
Donations Collected to Date
$500.00
Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 – This project has now been fully funded through the generosity of The Soneva SLOW LIFE Trust 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 Emma of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by the PCV and/or other projects in the country of service.
This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.