his project has been completed under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Elizabeth Thompson. To read about the beginning of the project, CLICK HERE.
The project was to dig a well to provide water for the irrigation of the woodlot.
Elizabeth reports:
The project goal was to dig a well to provide water for the irrigation of the woodlot. The well was dug by hand by local experts, in the middle of the plot, to a depth of about 16 meters.
Digging the well proved to be a bit of a problem as the groundbreaking took place at the end of the dry season. It was extremely hot and the ground was hard as rock in some places. But the well was completed successfully and safely. The water table was very low and the men that dug had to dig 16 meters into the ground.
The pictures given are of myself and a few community members planting the nursery bed for the woodlot so that at the completion of the well we are able to transplant the trees and provide them with water. There is a picture of the president of the VDC Jalaymang Touray measuring the well depth as well as a picture of a look inside the well and the completed project which looks amazing.
Although there were a few problems harvesting the woodlot the first season I am in contact with the village to this day and they were able to remedy the problem of that season and the trees are doing very well and are on the way to providing a very good living for those members of the community. They were also able to plant groundnuts within the area as well as keep poultry.
Because of the well, local laborers were given a project to work on and receive payment and the community has a monetary project that they will benefit from for years to come.
Thanks very much to our sponsor The Soneva Slow Life Trust; the Mandinka people of Kuwonku thank you very much!
We are grateful to Elizabeth for completing this excellent project, and also again wish to thank The Soneva SLOW LIFE Trust for providing the funding.
