Location
Kebemer, Louga Region, Senegal
Community Description
Kebemer Department is one of the three departments in the Louga Region in the northwest part of Senegal.
The Kebemer Correctional Facility (Maison d’Arrêt et de Correction de Kébémer) with dilapidated infrastructure dating back to colonial 1912, is at full capacity. The inmates, most of whom are petty thieves, work in various ways to provide for themselves and their families when they are released. The facility is located in a densely populated residential neighborhood in Kebemer.
Problem Addressed
There are 4 bathrooms enclosed in the building. However, there is only one fecal-matter storage tank, which is now full.
Exposed sewage and standing water currently exist on the site, serving as breeding grounds for insects and bacteria, and posing a major health risk for inmates, workers, and the surrounding residential area. The situation is urgent, with the rainy season approaching and the imminent spread of sewage through flooding.
The total work needed to alleviate the problem is the building of one new fecal material tank and two “clean” water tanks – for the showers and kitchen. However, the full project is beyond available resources, and an interim solution must be implemented.
Project Description
This project is to clean up the current sewage hazards and to build two clean-water septic tanks behind the facility.
The sewage hazard will be alleviated by removing as much standing water as possible, and allowing the area to dry out.
The tanks will be 4 meters wide, 20 meters long and 2 meters deep, and all tanks will be lined and covered. The new tanks will drastically reduce the standing water that currently accumulates around the buildings and slow the spread of fecal material – vastly improving the dire environmental and health hazards.
Pipes will be installed underground from the kitchen and showers out to the water tanks.
A mason living near the facility has agreed to discount his labor costs by half for the good of the community, which has been active in seeking partnerships for the renovation of the facility.
The next phase of the project will be the construction of a fecal-matter latrine, which will be undertaken when further funding is identified.
Project Impact
57 inmates, 10 workers, and many families living in the neighborhood and children playing in the area, will benefit from the project.
Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Hannah Vick
Comments
This is a critical project for the correctional facility which will improve the health and well-being of the inmates, workers, and community.
Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00
Donations Collected to Date
$400.00
ADOPT THIS PROJECT BY CONTRIBUTING THE DOLLAR AMOUNT NEEDED BELOW
Donations of any amount will be appreciated. The full amount will give you “naming rights”, if that is something you would like.
Any contributions in excess of the Dollar Amount of the Project will be allocated to other projects directed by this PCV and/or projects of other PCVs in this country.
Dollar Amount Needed
$155.00
This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.