Location
Diagaly, Louga Region, Senegal
Community Description
Diagaly is located 55 kilometers east of Linguere, just off the National Highway. Because of the village’s relatively large population of approximately 1,500 and close proximity to the sole deep-bore well in the area, Diagaly serves as a hub and commercial center for numerous surrounding villages.
The majority of residents of Diagaly are ethnically Pulaar, with around a 40% Wolof population. Economic life is sustained primarily through herding and farming, in addition to some mercantile subsistence. The villagers are constantly working to improve their living conditions. The focus of numerous community groups is self-improvement and community development.
In the heart of the village lies a 76-meter, deep-bore well and a large water storage facility. However, due to a lack of electricity and shortage of funds to run the generator to pump the water, the residents of Diagaly have learned to live with substantial water shortages. On average, water is available only once a week and has occasionally been cut off for up to two weeks.
With such a shortage of water, individuals rely on personal water storage facilities to provide their families with water for daily use. Yet, these stored supplies are often inadequate during long stints without water.
The village of Diagaly is made up of a large town center, as well as a small section of town offset from main village by ½ kilometer, nicknamed ‘Mbowen’. Mbowen is made up of around 34 ethnically-Wolof households, a mosque, and a water faucet in the communal center.
Recently, a women’s group has formed to create a community garden in the area of Mbowen. The women have pooled their money to construct a fence, enclosing the garden area. Due to issues of water shortages in the community, a successful garden in the area must include a large water basin to store water for daily use.
Project Description
This project is to provide the women of Mbowen a functional water storage facility to use for the irrigation their garden.
Project funds will pay for construction materials for the water basin, including cement, iron bars, and iron wires. They will also pay for the transport of materials, labor, as well as a large water hose to transfer water from the community water faucet to the water storage facility 200 meters away.
Materials will be purchased in Linguere, the department capital, located 55 kilometers from Diagaly, and transported to the project site by a locally-owned automobile. Mason labor fees will include the construction of bricks, the cost of digging out the plot of land, and actual basin construction.
Following the construction of the basin, the Mbowen women’s club representatives will attend a training in Linguere where they will learn basic gardening and permaculture techniques to later take back to Diagaly and teach the rest of the women’s group.
Following construction and training, the garden will provide ample gardening space for the 34 households in the area. This will in turn provide healthy food options to the entire community, including the greater Diagaly area, increasing overall food security in an area where malnourishment is a major concern for the entire population.
Project Impact
250 Mbowen residents will benefit from the project.
Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Kimberly Hall
Comments
This project provides the final resource needed for the women to make the garden functional. A garden with a stable water supply will improve the health of the families through improved nutrition, and also has the potential of growing into an economic endeavor through the sale of vegetables.
Kimberly previously completed the Diagaly Women’s Garden Water Project – Senegal.
Dollar Amount of Project
$500.00
Donations Collected to Date
$500.00
Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 – This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of the Elmo Foundation.
We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify the Peace Corps Volunteer of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by the PCV and/or those of other PCVs in the country of service.
This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.