Location
Izvoare, Falesti, Moldova
Community Description
Izvoare is a small village in western Moldova in the district of Falesti. Izvoare translates to springs, referring to the abundance of natural springs and lakes that surround the area. The village sits atop a hill providing a breathtaking view of the lakes, rolling fields and surrounding villages.
The recorded population of Izvoare is 2,500 but as is common in Moldovan villages it is actually much lower due to working-age residents leaving the community and their children to search for jobs in cities or other countries. This creates a dynamic of aging residents left to raise their grandchildren.
The kindergarten in the village provides the children with a place to learn and grow as well as two meals per day. It was built in 1980 and has undergone only one major repair since. The families of the children attending the kindergarten along with the 22 employees have proven to be committed to making it a proper place to support the needs of the children.
In 2007, they contributed funds and in-kind donations to help build a new roof. However, as economic struggles continue to plague the village, the kindergarten continues to deteriorate.
There are 174 children between the ages 3 and 6 living in Izvoare with only 89 of them currently enrolled in the kindergarten. The poor conditions of the latrines and the lack of basic hygienic needs often cause the families to keep the children home in order to keep them from becoming ill. This causes more work and stress for the grandparents, while it denies the children access to early education and positive social interactions with other children. The latrines are full and must be manually emptied causing major health concerns.
Currently, there are plastic bins nailed to the wall that are manually filled with water and used for hand washing. An attempt was made in 1990 to bring running water to the building but the project fell through because of a lack of funding and was never completed.
Project Description
The project will provide running water to the kindergarten, which will enable adequate sanitation and hygiene.
The water supply consists of a well and a basin located behind the building. A trench 100 meters long and 1 meter deep will be dug from the well to the location of the bathroom.
A new water closet will be installed. A sink and faucet that were previously installed are in working condition and will be used in the project.
Project funds will be used to purchase 100 meters of cable and piping as well as 20 industrial fasteners. In addition, an electric vacuum pump will be used to extract the water.
The labor will be provided by local community members, including a specialist.
Although the water will not initially be potable, a follow-up project is envisioned by the school to install a filter so that the water can be used for drinking. Also planned for the future is a drainage system and toilets to remedy the situation of the poor condition of the outdoor latrines.
Project Impact
89 children and 22 employees will benefit from the project.
Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Lyndsey Rozzi
Comments
Bringing running water to the building will be the first step toward creating healthy, complete, indoor facilities for the children.
Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00
Donations Collected to Date
$555.00
Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 – This project has now been fully funded through the generosity of The Soneva SLOW LIFE Trust as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative, with help from friends and family of Peace Corps Volunteer Lyndsey Rozzi.
We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Lyndsey of your donation. Additional funds will go toward projects in the country of service.
This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.