Bolduresti Ecology Club Ave Terra Protected Spring Project – Moldova

Location
Bolduresti Village, Nisporeni District, Republic of Moldova

Community Description
Bolduresti is a rural Moldovan village with just over 4,200 residents. It is located in the Nisporeni District in Western Moldova, right on the Prut River, which forms Moldova’s border with Romania. Members of the village are generally hard-working and traditional.

The community’s economy is heavily based on agriculture, with nearly all of the agricultural operations being small and locally owned. Outside of agriculture, the largest employment sectors are local public administration and education.

In 2009 a small group of environmentally-minded citizens in Bolduresti organized an NGO named Ave Terra. They partnered with the local high school to create an ecology club. One of the first activities of the NGO and club was to partner with a French NGO which helped train the involved students on environmentally sustainable ways to live.

As part of this training, the team tested approximately 100 water sources (wells and springs) throughout the community. Unfortunately, they found that a majority of the sources were contaminated with various harmful compounds.

One of the main sources of contamination is agricultural, animal, and household wastes being disposed of in the vicinity of the water source. Of the sources tested there is one spring used by 39 different households that have particularly good water. Currently, this spring is simply a metal pipe extending from the hillside that creates a muddy pool which tends to attract animals and trash.

Project Description
In order to protect the spring and secure the safety of those families that rely on its water, the ecology club will develop the spring to eliminate exposure to contamination.

With labor donated by skilled community members, and material transportation donated by the local mayor’s office, a small trough will be created to contain water from the spring, cover the spring and trough to prevent contamination, install a new pipe, install rock and sand around the spring, and finally pour a small amount of cement to help maintain cleanliness.

Water Charity funds will be used to procure materials with which to improve and protect the spring.

As part of the project, the ecology club students will visit each household that relies on the spring to help educate them about the need for maintaining clean water and a clean environment, and teaching methods to achieve the same. Additionally, they will use this project as an example to help promote future education in the community.

Project Impact
110 people will benefit from this project, including those living in households using the well, students, and NGO management.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Curtis Adams and Brittany Hill

Comments
This is an important infrastructure project for the community. It will improve the health and well-being of all the residents.

Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00

Donations Collected to Date
$555.00

Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 – This project has 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 Peace Corps Volunteers Curtis Adams and Brittany Hill of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Curtis and Brittany and/or those of other PCVs in the country of service.

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