This project has been completed under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer John VanGavree. To read about the beginning of the project, CLICK HERE.
The project was to improve the sanitation and safety of the school kitchen by installing new sinks and cabinets.
John reports:
Project work began on Wednesday, September 7, with the order of a double-basin sink to be installed in the kitchen. The needed plumbing supplies, as well as faucets to be installed with the basins were also purchased locally on that day.
On the following Monday, the basins were delivered and preparation for installation work began. A group of parents whose children attend the pre-school pooled their resources to locate the necessary construction tools, and were also able to locate and contribute a more suitable drying rack for utensils.
On the weekend of September 17 – 18, community members with appropriate plumbing skills removed the old sink unit and replaced it with the newer, larger basins. The floor below the sink was renovated and a newer, more suitable plumbing system was constructed to avoid further leakage issues. Finally, the faucets were connected and the new drying rack put in place next to the sink. The following day, kitchen staff members were able to fully utilize the new equipment to begin the school week.
Throughout the process, PCV and Pre-School Director regularly communicated via telephone to ensure that the labor efforts and purchases of materials progressed properly. The Director was a solid project management partner, and those who contributed labor to the effort possessed adequate skill and ability to complete timely and quality work.
The project can be considered very successful – work was done as proposed in the project application, and all previously at-risk individuals are now in a much better condition as a result of the work done. As a result of this project, kitchen staff at the pre-school are much better able to clean and store kitchen utensils in a sanitary manner. The larger sinks allow for faster and more thorough cleaning as staff work to prepare hundreds of meals each day.
Additionally, the issue of leaky plumbing has been addressed at its source by completely renovating the drainage system in the sink area, further reducing health risks in kitchen. Therefore, it can be confidently said that the health risks to students, staff and each of the families of Romny “Tiny Star” Pre-school have been reduced.
“Tiny Star” Pre-school was very grateful for the chance to participate in Water Charity’s Appropriate Projects initiative. Director Olga Corzh, “This was a very necessary thing for our school to do. The donations we received are hugely appreciated. Otherwise, we would have no budget for such projects. Thank you!”
We, in turn, are grateful to John for completing the project, and to John’s friends and family for providing the funding.
