This project is part of our 52 Pumps in 52 Weeks Program, being implemented by Peace Corps Volunteers Marcie Todd and Garrison Harward. To read about the program and follow its progress, CLICK HERE.
Location
Dassilame Serere, Fatick, Senegal
Community Description
Yep we’re back here in Dassilame Serere once again. We’ve already described quite a bit about this village, but this is a good opportunity to emphasize one last facet of its personality. Dassilame Serere is persistent! Ever since we installed the first pump here the village has been requesting more and pushing for us to repair 4 existing pumps.
We initially held off wanting to spread the pumps far and wide while in the meantime Garrison helped them with other projects such as tree nurseries and improved gardening techniques. They kept pushing though, and in the end that kind of persistence, enthusiasm and work ethic needs to be rewarded so here we are.
Project Description
This project is to repair 4 existing pumps.
Almost immediately after we installed the first pump, Lamine (our welder in Toubacouta) was approached by a private group wanting to install more pumps in the area. This was a great opportunity for Lamine and thus he simply couldn’t refuse even though he really didn’t have the skills to be installing pumps on his own yet. The site selected turned out to be a women’s group in Dassilame Serere.
Of course we would have offered to help, as the overall goal of the project is to establish pump producers who can have a profitable small business doing installs on their own, but unfortunately Garrison was out of village at a Peace Corps conference, and didn’t get back until the day of the install. At this point it was too late to influence much and things just didn’t go well. Corners were cut, as Lamine and the funders tried to finish.
4 installs in one day and in the end only 3 pumps ever worked. To make matters worse, those 3 only worked for about a month before various problems cropped, up eventually making them completely unusable. In a way, as much as we would like to blame Lamine or the funders for the spotty work this is our mess to clean up too. We brought the technology to the area so it’s our responsibility to make sure it works.
Project Impact
All 65 members of the group will benefit from increased speed pulling water and thus less congestion at the well.
Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Garrison Harward and Marcie Todd
Comments
This is a 4 for the price of 1 deal! Since the pumps are already there all of the money goes to supplementary materials meaning that we can fix all 4 pumps for the price of 1!
For the future, there are two brand new wells being built here and if all goes well they could become part of our 52.
Dollar Amount of Project
$100.00
Donations Collected to Date
$100.00
Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 – This project has now been fully funded through the generosity of Jacqueline Chan, of Crestline, CA, USA in honor of Mrs. Julia Chung-Lun, of Sydney, NSW, Australia.
If you now contribute $100, your name will be placed on the waiting list to adopt the next project in order.
If you wish to contribute less than $100, the money will be applied toward the overall program.
This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.
