Location
Village of Hincesti, District of Falesti, Moldova
Community Description
Hincesti is a small village of about 450 people, located in the district of Falesti in Northwestern Moldova, along the Prut River. It is about half an hour by car from the district center (Falesti), and 2.5 hours from the capital (Chisinau).
One of the downsides of village life is the lack of work opportunities, so the working class leaves for a nearby town, the capital city, or, as in the case for nearly 25% of the entire country’s population, abroad. This creates a social disparity most visible in these rural villages.
This is a village where running water is available because someone dug a well and is running a pump from it into their household. Hand-drawn well water is still the primary source of water.
The well to be improved in this project is located on a street that serves about 10 families. Two of these families are younger, with parents in their 40s and school-age children. The rest resemble the average makeup of families in the village- that is many retirees living on government pension payments of less than 70 dollars a month (and as little as 20, with most being about 35-50 dollars).
In addition two of the families of direct beneficiaries are caring for disabled and/ or chronically ill family members. Even the few families that are employed are only earning 100 dollars per month.
The well in question is a public well with the water drawn manually. The well is also deeper than many others in the vicinity, and so when other wells go dry in the hot dry summer months, more distant neighbors still have access to potable water through this well.
The water is of high quality, being low on salts and minerals. The water is softer than that of other springs in the village, making it ideal for the preparation of food (beans are more tender without the salt), bathing, and drinking.
However, this well is estimated to be over 120 years old! The inside wall of the well is made up of stones. Occasionally these stones get loose and fall into the well. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to go down into the well to clean it.
Project Description
This project is to improve the Hincesti public well.
Cement tubes will be lowered into the well, creating a new inner wall, followed by a thorough cleaning. This will require either special equipment rented from a nearby town, or a specialist, who will command a higher rate due to the increased level of danger.
In addition, the community will replace the wooden mechanism to draw up the water bucket, repair the wall around the outside of the well, repair the cover and surrounding fencing, and finally repave the cement on the floor. This will result in safer access to the well.
Project funds will be used to purchase 10 cement tubes, and also to pay for the specialized labor.
Nearly all of the community contributions will be coming from the 2 younger families living near the well. Realistically, it is not practical (or ethical) to solicit large sums of money from people surviving on 1 to 2 dollars a day. Some will insist on donating a dollar or two, whatever they are able, but the majority will come from the 2 families. These are not wealthy families, as they too are earning only $100 per month, but they realize the importance of water and recognize that the rest of the community cannot help financially.
Those families that cannot contribute in money or labor will likely assist in other ways, such as providing vegetables from their garden or fresh milk or eggs from their livestock, in an effort to at least symbolically compensate the workers and support the project.
The community will provide all the remaining funds needed to complete the project.
Project Impact
This project will benefit about 100 people, consisting of about 30 people who depend on the well for daily use, 20 who use the well occasionally, and 50 who will access this well for a few weeks in late summer, if there is a drought and the water level drops in some of the other wells in the community.
Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Katharine Auchter
Comments
By repairing the inner wall of the well, this project not only ensures the future availability of potable water, but also will provide a safer environment when further cleanings become necessary.
Katharine previously successfully completed the Dacia Well Improvement Project – Moldova.
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 Volunteer Katharine Auchter of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Katharine 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.