This project has been completed under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Ryan Torpie.
To read about the beginning of the project, CLICK HERE.
The project was to repair the only pump in the village.
Ryan reports:
The sole pump in Farakan Dougoutigila has been repaired. The project itself was straightforward: to replace the broken cylinder and the rubber piece that creates the suction that pulls up the water.
The process was fairly quick and the village was ready and prepared to get it done quickly and efficiently. The day after my Malian counterpart and I arrived with the materials from the nearby town, the village called the pump repair worker and got to work.
In addition to the trained repairman, the 12 village men who volunteered helped pull out the several meters of pipe to get to the broken cylinder at the base of the borehole. There were five sections of three-meter brass piping that reached the bottom of the borehole where the water sits. Each section had to be pulled up individually and unscrewed with tools. It was a slow and laborious process, but the men, and even some boys, were there to help.
In the end, the village is so satisfied and proud to have access to clean water. After the first test that the water comes up through the pump, the children that were watching the process ran over and started to drink the water straight from the pump with their hands. The monthly ‘tax’ that was a stipulation in acquiring supplementary financial support started thereafter.
This widespread access to clean water in the village reinforces their efforts to maintain a clean living area and supports proper health practices.
Thank you so much for your support and work. And as the villagers said, “I ni che! I ni baaraji!” (Thank you! Thank you very much!)
We, in turn, extend our thanks to Ryan, and again thank the Elmo Foundation for providing the funding.
