Location
Yallal Ba village, Sabach Sanjal, North Bank Region, The Gambia
Community Description
The village is a very rural community, consisting of about 375-400 villagers. Almost all members of the village are subsistence farmers who farm peanuts, coos, or yellow corn. The village is sectioned by three sand roads.
A large majority (~90%) of the women are illiterate and serve the community as housewives and laborers. The men are largely illiterate (~75%) and work as farmers, with some working both farms and masonry.
Recently the village has invested in a small store called a ‘bitik.’ The bitik houses a small stock of potatoes, onions, sugar, bread, and non-perishables (matches, candles, soap).
The village has one elementary school which supports students from Yallal Ba and two neighboring villages, Numa Kunda and Medina Sabach. The school has an enrollment of 198 students.
The village covers roughly 1 kilometer by 1 kilometer, with the school in the center. The three roads are distinct sections of the village. They are named: Cinchu, Legaal, and Dahgaal.
In Cinchu, there are six pit latrines for eleven compounds (approximately ten people in each compound). In Legaal, there are only three pit latrines for twelve compounds, and in Degaal there are presently NO pit latrines for eight compounds.
Project Description
This project is to construct three public pit latrines for Yallal Ba, with one in each section of the village.
The Village Development Committee (VDC) chairman, Juma Bah, proposed the idea of building a public pit latrine for each section of the village. All of the current pit latrines are located in a private compound and others have to come into another compound to use the latrine.
He has drawn up a sketch of the proposed pit latrines. They are small “outhouse”-shaped buildings, each with a hole covered by a cement platform, and cement walls.
Juma previously constructed the three pit latrines in Legaal and two in Cinchu so he is skilled in the construction techniques.
Project funds will be used to purchase the materials, including cement, corrugate tin, 8 mm metal rods, timber, and nails.
The village already owns three shovels and two wheelbarrows to help in the construction.
Although Juma is in charge of the project, most of the village will be participating in the construction. Young men will be digging the holes, mixing the cement, and shoveling the cement. The women will provide all of the water and will be feeding all the men.
Land has already been set aside for the construction. Juma and many other masonry workers will dig down for two meters and lay a concrete shell with 10 metal rods to help support the shell. They will then build a concrete rectangular shelter to surround the pit latrine. They will roof the top with timber and corrugate and have a corrugate and timber door to open and close for use.
The water for the Legaal and Dahgaal latrines will be supplied by the women who will pump it from the newly- restored hand pump. The pit latrine in Cinchu will use the water from their hand pump.
Project Impact
210 people will directly benefit from this project. This is comprised of all of the villagers living in Dahgaal (approximately 80 people), over three fourths of Legaal (approximately 80 people), and half of the villagers in (approximately 50 people). With more people from surrounding villages coming to the new ‘bitik,’ more outsides will benefit from the public pit latrines, as well.
Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Leah Spare
Comments
This project provides critical sanitation services to a large number of people. It will reduce the problem of open defecation, and thereby have a significant health benefit.
Leah previously successfully completed the Yallal Ba Pump Project – The Gambia.
Dollar Amount of Project
$518.00
Donations Collected to Date
$518.00 + additional amounts for future projects.
Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 – This project has now been fully funded through the generosity of Frederic Brown, of Coffeyville, KS, USA, who also contributed enough for an additional project in The Gambia! Friends and family of Peace Corps Volunteer Leah Spare contributed additional amounts.
We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Leah of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Leah and/or those of other PCVs in the country.
This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.