Location
Sare Sawadi, Fulladu West, Central River Region – South Bank, The Gambia
Community Description
The village of Sare Sawadi is a small Fula community of 175 people located twelve kilometers from the town of Bansang. The villagers farm groundnuts, coos, rice and cassava.
Water sources in the village include one hand pump and one open well. The hand pump is mainly used for potable water, while water collected from the open well is used for non-consumption purposes (animals and laundering).
Currently the two water sources in village are unreliable and insecure. The hand pump is unusable due to broken moving parts. Without the use of this hand pump, the villagers are forced to collect drinking water from the open well or travel one to two kilometers to use another village’s hand pump.
The open well is currently an insecure water source. Since construction in 1996, the concrete floor around the well hole and the short concrete fence surrounding this floor have fallen apart and are in serious need of repair.
The well hole is now unprotected and capable of eroding. During heavy rains water can carve under the base, carrying debris and contaminants into the well. Cave-in at the mouth is also a potential. The broken concrete fence is no longer effective in keeping animals and children away from the open well hole.
Project Description
This project is to make repairs on both the hand pump and the open well to create secure, sustainable and clean water sources for the village.
The project will be carried out under the direction of the Village Development Committee (VDC).
Hand Pump Repair
The hand pump will be restored to full use by the replacement of the gears and chain.
The repairs will be made by the local technician, Mamadi Trawally, and the necessary parts will be purchased in Bansang.
Open Well Improvement
The open well will be secured by repairing the base floor and the fence around the well opening. The mason in the village, Juma Sowe, will oversee and direct the construction.
The cement will be purchased in Bansang, and transported to the village by the members of the community. The villagers will also provide the tools and labor to do the job.
Project Impact
175 people will benefit from the project.
Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Fern Aguda-Brown
Comments
Repair of these two critical water sources is vital for the health and safety of the community. The project is well planned, with competent workers lined up for the skilled and unskilled tasks.
Dollar Amount of Project
$200.00
Donations Collected to Date
$200.00
Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 – This project has now been fully funded through the generosity of The Soneva SLOW LIFE Trust as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.
We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Fern of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by the PCV and/or other projects in the country of service.
This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.