Location
Svetlii, Comrat Raion, Semi-Autonomous State of Gagauzia, Moldova
Community Description
Svetlii is a small village located in southern Moldova. It is part of the raion of Comrat, and is located in the semi-autonomous region of Gagauzia.
Svetlii is located on a major highway that links Chisinau to the south of Moldova and receives frequent thru-traffic. Its population is 2,066, but a large portion of the population at any given time is working abroad, primarily in Russia and Turkey, to send remittances home.
The village is home to one agricultural college, one primary and high school, a small health clinic, two kindergartens, and a few small convenience stores and one bar, as well as an Orthodox and a Baptist church.
Russian is the primary language spoken, in addition to a mixture of Bulgarian, Gagauzian, and Romanian in the region. The major employers are the school, college, and local agriculture.
Svetlii School serves 320 students in the 1st to 12th grades from the Svetlii village and two neighboring villages. Many students have family members working abroad, and in some cases, students take care of themselves at home or are in the care of grandparents.
The student initiative group, “Step Forward” is actively involved in improving the well-being of their peers. Last year they created a health campaign about the harms of smoking and alcohol. This year, the students continue their health focus and peer-to-peer education.
The bathrooms indoors have not been working for many years and this situation at the school requires that students and staff use the toilets outside that are 100 meters from the school. In the winter children often do not give special attention to the weather, and go out of doors improperly dressed.
The students conducted research on handwashing and found that a significant number of students do not wash their hands due to the fact that there are no sinks in the bathrooms, and also because of a lack of soap. Unwashed hands lead to poor personal hygiene and combined these reasons lead to an increase in diseases, including diseases of the urological system and infectious diseases.
The school is undertaking a reconstruction of the bathrooms and sewage lines on the first floor of the school.
Project Description
This project is an integral part of the Svetlii School project to reconstruct the boys’ bathroom, the girls’ bathrooms, and a separate staff bathroom.
This project includes:
- Removing all eroding materials, pipes, and tiles in the bathroom.
- Installing new tiling on the floors.
- Installing three new sinks, faucets, and piping in the girls, boys, and teachers bathrooms.
- Installing soap dispensers and paper towel holders above each sink.
Water Charity funds will be used for fixtures, including sinks, and materials, including piping.
A local contractor is working with the Parents and Teachers Association to do the construction work.
During the construction, “Step Forward” will facilitate peer-to-peer hygiene and handwashing lessons to students in all classes. They are also organizing a sustainable soap collection with the Parents and Teachers Association. They have already collected money for the soap dispensers and paper towel holders through community fundraisers.
Parents will be involved in a hygiene training put on by “Step Forward” members and the Parents and Teachers Association.
Project Impact
320 students and 50 staff members will benefit from the project.
Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Natalie Rooks
Comments
This project will resolve a number of hygiene problems at the school and will result in an improvement of the health of students and staff.
Natalie previously completed the Svetlii Kindergarten Water Filter Project – Moldova.
Dollar Amount of Project
$550.00
Donations Collected to Date
$275.00
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
$275.00
This project has been completed. To see the results, CLICK HERE.