Medina Abdoul Well Improvement Project – Senegal

Location
Medina Abdoul, Kolda region, Senegal

Community Description
Medina Abdoul is a rural village of 150 people. The village is a farming community located 40 km from the city of Kolda, about 3 km off the main road.

The women’s group of Medina Abdoul has a community garden that was started in 2010. With the help of a previous Peace Corps Volunteer, they were able to install a fence, plant trees for live fencing, and dig a well. The women are still actively using the garden space, growing a variety of vegetables including hibiscus, okra, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, bitter tomato, eggplant, and peppers.

The women are incredibly dedicated to their garden, and people from surrounding villages regularly visit to purchase vegetables. The vegetables from the garden also provide daily food for the entire village.

The well is currently only 3 meters deep, and there is not enough water to fulfill the daily watering needs. Part of the fenced-in area lays fallow because the well does not provide enough water for the women to expand their plots.

Recognizing the problem, the women’s group pooled together money to dig the well deeper. However, they were not able to raise enough to make a significant difference in depth.

In addition, the soil is eroding around the base of the well, making it somewhat hazardous to draw water. All watering is done by hand, and the women spend hours each day hauling buckets of water back and forth from the well to their individual garden plots.

Project Description
This project is to dig the well two meters deeper, build a cement safety edging around the base, and build 2 brick basins to facilitate easier watering in the farther reaches of the garden.

Water Charity funds will pay for 15 bags of cement, well digging and masonry labor, and the piping and other supplies necessary for the basic construction. Once funds are available, local masons and well diggers will immediately begin work in the garden.

The village will help with the transportation of supplies and will provide the sand and rocks necessary for the cement work.

With the improvement of their well and watering system, the women will be able to continue to expand their garden plots and to grow enough vegetables to not only feed their families but also to sell at weekly markets and generate income.

Project Impact
The whole village of 150 people will benefit from the project, including the 15 women who have plots in the community garden.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Miranda Currie

Comments
This project improves an existing resource to make the water source more reliable and safe.

Dollar Amount of Project
$475.00

Donations Collected to Date
$475.00

Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 – This project has been fully funded by the Elmo Foundation, with the help of friends, family, and supporters of the Peace Corps Volunteer.

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.