This project has been completed under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Kate Carroll. To read about the beginning of the project, CLICK HERE.
The project was to build a well for the irrigation of the Pondala community garden.
Kate reports:
I am happy to announce that the project is completed! The well digger agreed to start work immediately with the promise of money on its way and we found people willing to front the cost of the materials.
We started work immediately following our project’s approval. The purchasing of materials coincided with the visit of a Peace Corps car, which allowed us to save some money in transportation.
A couple of men from Bembou, a neighboring village, traveled to our village early every morning and worked until sunset, at which point they would return home. The construction of the well went fairly smoothly. The only problem we encountered was when the main digger injured his hand and had to rest for a few days.
We hit water at around six and a half meters, but dug down a bit farther to make sure that the well would never go dry. The entire well was cement lined with molds and a rebar foundation.
The total cost of the project ended up being a bit over $500, but still less than was originally estimated. The additional money that was contributed by the community will go towards purchasing some chain-link fencing for an adjacent nursery plot and watering cans for the garden. As a result of this project, the women’s groups have decided to enlarge the garden and diversify their vegetables this upcoming year.
The entire community is very happy with how the project turned out and they are excited to recommence their gardening efforts this year. They are very thankful to the donors and organization that made this possible. Thanks!
The first of the photos is of the well diggers mid-way through their work. The second is of the inscription I made of the women’s group name (“Benkuto”, which means “coming together”) and the president’s name – the woman that first approached me and really made this all come together. The last is of the finished well (although it wasn’t completely dry yet).
We again thank the Elmo Foundation for providing the funding for the project.