School Qamil Guranjaku Bathroom Project – Albania

This project is made possible through the partnership of Water Charity and the National Peace Corps Association.
This is a project under the LET GIRLS LEARN Program, a collaboration of First Lady Michelle Obama and the Peace Corps to expand access to education for adolescent girls around the world!

Location
School Qamil Guranjaku, City of Elbasan, Region of Elbasan, Albania

Community Description
Elbasan is the fourth largest city in Albania. It has a population around 127,000 people. Elbasan is in the Elbasan region in central Albania.

Problem Addressed
The restrooms in the school Qamil Guranjaku are in need of repair and refurbishment.

Project Description
This project involves replacing twelve Turkish toilets with western toilets, replacing pipes, reconstructing the floor by replacing the concrete, adding a coating of hyperdesmo to protect the concrete from water damage and replacing the tilling on the floor and walls around the sinks. Other than a few power tools all the work will completed by hand.

The proper materials will be purchased. and transported to the school. The floor and walls will be refurbished and the old tile will be replaced with new tile. The twelve Turkish toilets will be replaced with Western toilets. The municipality wants to finish in a three week time frame so that the restrooms will be ready for when school begins in September.

All the labor for the project will be completed by plumber(s) and builder(s) on the municipality’s payroll. The funds provided by Water Charity will be used to purchase the western style toilets and most of the concrete needed for the project. This includes a tax of 20% for the purchase of materials.

The Municipality of Elbasan is the driving force behind the project and has a goal of improving the restrooms in the schools in the city. They have received support from the director of education for the region and the director of the school for this project.

Project Impact
805 people will be affected this school year, with many more people served over the years to come.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Thomas Pyke

Monitoring and Maintenance
The municipality is responsible for the upkeep of the school, and the director of the school is responsible for inspections.

Comments
While this is not an official Let Girls Learn project, it does fall into Water Charity’s LGL+ grouping of projects that have a pronounced element involving helping girls go to, and stay in, school, and falls under our 100 Water Projects Program – Albania as well as our larger Let Girls Learn Initiative – Worldwide.

Dollar Amount of Project
$2,100

This project was determined to be infeasible and was not implemented. There were no donations collected and expenditure of funds.

Mano Juan Primary School Composting Latrine Project – Dominican Republic

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Mano Juan Primary School Composting Latrine Project – Dominican Republic

Location
Isla Saona, Altagracia Province, Dominican Republic

Community Description
The island of Saona is located off the South East point of the Dominican Republic. The island is a part of the Dominican Republic National Park system, Parque National del Este.

Mano Juan, located one hour by boat from the port of Bayahibe, is the larger of two coastal communities located on the island. It has a population is 230 people, 28% of whom are youth under the age of 18.

People living in Mano Juan are financially dependent on the tourism industry, with a minority depending on fisheries.

Mano Juan does not have a potable water system. Therefore, individual homes collect rainwater, which they chlorinate and use for drinking.

Over half of the families in Mano Juan lack a sanitation facility, and the residents utilize the beach or forest for their needs, thus creating environmental and health problems.

The Mano Juan Primary School is located in the community, and teaches through the 8th grade.

Project Description
This project is to construct two EcoBaños (ecological bathrooms or composting latrines) at the school.

The Pro Desarrollo Comunitario de Mano Juan committee, with assistance from the Peace Corps environmental volunteer, has planned this as a pilot project. The ultimate goal is for every house in Mano Juan to have a proper sanitation facility within the next 2 years.

The design provides for the capture of the waste above the ground, thus eliminating the possibility that the groundwater will be polluted.

The cement double-vault latrines will be constructed of steel-reinforced concrete. The concrete is made by mixing cement, sand, and gravel.

The “toilet” portion is made from a specific mold that allows for the separation of the urine and fecal matter. Urine exits through a tube, and the fecal material is left to dry. The composted material can then be safely removed and used as fertilizer.

The base has two compartments. The first compartment will be used until full, an average of 6 months. That compartment will then be capped, and the second compartment will be used.

Trained Health Promoters will visit the school and cover different topics ranging from health risks to parts of the latrine. A local mason has attended an EcoBaño training, and will construct the latrines, with construction time projected to be 2 ½ weeks.

Community participation includes manual labor volunteers for every work day for 7 days, and breakfast and lunch for the laborers. Transportation from port to island has been donated by the local Ministry of Environment office.

Community members will transport materials from the community dock to the storage location at the school. The community solicited the donation of materials, including the zinc needed for the structure.

Student groups have raised funds through various community events to buy paint, with which students will paint an educational mural upon completion of project.

Project funds will be used to buy the remaining materials. In addition, they will pay for the labor of the mason and some transport costs.

The Health Promoter will continue with education during and after the construction to ensure that the latrine is maintained properly.

Project Impact
230 people will benefit from the project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Colleen Ferris

Comments
The project will provide appropriate sanitation facilities for the school, and also serve as an educational and motivational tool to demonstrate the composting latrine technology for proper waste management.

Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00

Donations Collected to Date
$555.00

Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 – This project was fully funded through the generosity of the Elmo Foundation together friends and family of Peace Corps Volunteers Colleen Ferris. The project became infeasible, and the project was cancelled, with no expenditure of funds. The funds have been allocated for other projects in the Dominican Republic.

Vilkovo Bathroom Project – Ukraine

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Vilkovo Bathroom Project – Ukraine

Location
Vilkovo, Odessa Oblast, Ukraine

Community Description
Vilkovo is a small town at the very southern tip of the Odessa Oblast near the tributary of the Danube River and the Black Sea. It has a population of about 9,000 spread out in the delta of the Danube River at its tributary with the Black Sea.

Vilkovo’s economy is based on the shipping industry. Many men from the town work on cargo ships and on fishing. Vilkovo has a small business district in its downtown area that is host to several small shops and an open-air market.

The First School of Vilkovo is located right in the middle of the business district. The school is home to about 300 students, ages 7-17, and 25 teachers.

The students and staff currently use a pit toilet adjacent to the playground. The toilet also serves patrons of the business district. This creates more traffic than the facility was built to accommodate, is a public health hazard, and is likely a source of sickness that puts many students out of school every winter.

Project Description
This project is the addition of a toilet facility and handwashing station to a planned extension of the First School of Vilkovo.

An addition has been planned for the school, to be built in the summer of 2012. The addition will be funded by the local school administration. The project is the addition of a plumbed toilet facility to the school’s new extension.

This toilet facility will consist of separate male and female bathrooms. There will be 4 toilets and 2 sinks in each. Water will come from the city water line and sewage waste will go to an underground septic tank, maintained by a local septic pumping company.

The facility will be open to the public at certain hours on a pay-per-use basis. This will supply the school with additional funding to cover the costs of the toilets and septic tank maintenance.

The project will be constructed by a local construction company that has worked with the local school administration in the past.

The toilet facility will be funded through a partnership program grant with the Peace Corps and funds from Water Charity.

The local community of Vilkovo will be contributing 50 percent of the total cost.

Project Impact
Approximately 2,500-3,000 individuals will use this toilet on an annual basis.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Jeffrey Ball

Comments
This project brings together massive community and school support with funding organizations brought in to provide assistance to create a necessary and substantial sanitary facility for the school.

Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00

Dollar Amount Needed
This project was determined to be infeasible. The project was terminated without the expenditure of funds. Please choose another project for your donation.

Latmingue Water Pump Project – Senegal

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Latmingue Water Pump Project – Senegal

This project is made possible through the partnership of WATER CHARITY and the NATIONAL PEACE CORPS ASSOCIATION.

Location
Latmingue, Kaolack, Senegal

Community Description
The project will take place in the rural town of Latmingue, located 21k outside of Kaolack, Senegal, West Africa. The village of Latmingue is a developing community recently established as a “commune” or town, with a population of approximately 4,000 inhabitants.

The village engages in subsistance farming, and has very little in the way of modern amenities, but the community is making strong strides towards its development, efforts coming from a variety of community members including politicians, farmers, sellers, NGO and volunteer workers, entrepreneurs, and projects initiated by women’s groups.

There are an abundance of women’s groups, initiating and pursuing various entrepreneurial projects. These projects aim to provide work opportunities outside of housework, a source of personal income, a general sense economic security and self-confidense, an increase in family food supply, collaboration at local and non-local levels, and a way for women to empower themselves to work together for the benefit of themselves, their family, and their community. Recently, the women’s groups started several gardening projects, making it possible for the community to locally purchase plants such as salad, onions, carrots, and cabbage.

Problem Addressed
The current wells’ pulley system to draw water is heavily time- and labor-intensive for the women of the village. A more efficient system would mean, not only more time for those tasked with retrieving water, but also more water in general for everyone in the village. In addition, the current pulley system allows debris and refuse to fall into the well, whereas a closed system would prevent such contamination.

Project Description
This project is to install electric water pumps, and storage tanks for two wells.

The wells were both originally installed by the same local well digger, who was recently re-hired to do repairs and re-dig one of the wells.

The well worker was brought in to do an evaluation of the work, learning that the pumps should not be installed until initial repairs on the construction and security of the wells was conducted. An additional significant problem was that the second well had dried up, meaning that it would first have to be re-dug to source more water before it would make sense to install a pump.

The well worker began reconstruction two months ago in order to fix these problems. The second well currently is sourcing enough water now, and the additional well is still waiting to be finished but repairs are in the works. Cement water holders are also expected to be built before the work is finished, as a place for water storage, allowing the women to potentially only pull water once a day instead of multiple times.

Project Impact
Directly benefitting the 40 women who use these wells, and indirectly benefiting most of the 4,000 inhabitants of the village.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Natalie Dolan

Monitoring and Maintenance
Mboudayeme Community Gardens, led by the “Sam-Sam” and “Niake Diarignou” women’s groups, will provide overall monitoring and maintenance.

Monitoring of the funds/installation/use/functionality of the pumps will be the responsibility of the PCV.

Comments
The community is invested in this projects by contibuting labor and doing necessary maintanence and upkeep on the wells.

Dollar Amount of Project
$430

Donations Collected to Date
$430

Dollar Amount Needed
$0 – This project has been fully funded through the generosity of Year 6 students from Hua Mao Multicultural Academy, Ningbo, China

Sadly this project became infeasible, and was cancelled due to local conditions beyond our control. We have, however, reallocated this money to Natalie’s new project in the area which will benefit even more people. No money was lost on this project, and while this is an extremely rare event for Water Charity, things do happen beyond our control, and this project will be among the handful of projects in our entire history that didn’t unfold the way we expected it to. To read about the new project being done with these funds CLICK HERE.

EORM Tzanjon Handwashing Station Project – Guatemala

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EORM Tzanjon Handwashing Station Project – Guatemala

Location
Paraje Tzanjon, Momostenango, Totonicapan, Guatemala

Community Description
Paraje Tzanjon is located approximately 4 km off of the Inter-American Highway. It is part of the Municipality of Momostenango, Department of Totonicapan. It is home to approximately 300 families totaling 800 inhabitants.

166 children attend the Escuela Oficial Rural Mixta (EORM) Tzanjon. Ten parents form a “Consejo Educativo” (educative council) to directly support the school. They oversee maintenance and assist 6 teachers with coordinating general festivities throughout the year.

The school has an ample supply of water throughout the school cycle from a natural spring located about 1 km away. There are 2 existing handwashing faucets. There are flush toilets and a septic tank, as well as a seepage pit for the existing faucets.

The school is part of the Healthy Schools Program, in coordination with the Peace Corps and local government. However, current facilities are inadequate for the oral and personal hygiene needs of the students.

Project Description
This project is to build a new 5-faucet hand washing station at the school.

The station will be built near the lavatories and opposite the classrooms. A large concrete foundation will be built to prevent the buildup of mud. A drainage system will be built so that there is no standing water.

Water Charity funds will be used for materials, including concrete, rebar, piping, and fixtures.

The work will be done by experienced men from the community. The community will pay all additional costs associated with the project.

Project Impact
166 students and 6 teachers will benefit daily from the project. The entire community of 800 will benefit during meetings and celebrations at the school.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Daniel Landeros

Comments
This project will greatly improve the ability of the students to practice proper hygiene, as it will minimize the clustering of children and reduce the time needed for personal hygiene.

Daniel previously completed the EORM Xoljoc Handwashing Station Project – Guatemala.

Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00

Donations Collected to Date
$175.00

Dollar Amount Needed
$0 – This project became infeasible, and the funds were recovered without loss, and applied to other projects in Guatemala.

Mizilo Latrine Project – Madagascar

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Mizilo Latrine Project – Madagascar

Location
Mizilo, Madagascar

Community Description
The community is a rural commune 30 km outside of Manakara in Madagascar. The residents are extremely motivated to improve their health but have limited resources.

There are currently only 12 latrines in the community, most of which are private or full. This means that most people use the forest as their bathroom.

The rivers that are used to get water for bathing, cooking, and drinking are contaminated by runoff. Diarrhea is one of the major diseases that affects the community, accounting for the most deaths in children under 5.

Project Description
This project is to build 50 latrines in 34 villages in Mizilo. One latrine will be built in each village and the remaining latrines will be built in communal locations, including the market and various schools.

The latrines will be basic pit latrines with 3 walls, a door, and a roof. The latrines will all have sanitary platforms (SanPlats) with covers. The pits will be dug to a depth of between 3 and 4 meters.

The project will start with a series of trainings by the two directors of the city center’s community health organization. The trainings will involve going out to the different villages and teaching the individuals by demonstrating how to dig the hole, and the important information that goes along with latrine construction. This includes how far away from the water and food sources the latrines should be built, and how to properly cover the latrines when they have reached capacity.

The community members will also be educated about basic water hygiene and sanitation. They will also be taught to make the SanPlats by a local community member.

Water Charity funds will go towards the materials to build the latrines. These includes wood siding, nails, roofing materials, support beams and cement for the SanPlats.

Each community or family receiving a latrine will have to make a contribution. Possible contributions could include roofing materials, labor, or SanPlats.

Upon completion of the latrine training and construction, the community will undergo a training about why it is important to use latrines and to maintain them properly. The communities will also undergo financial trainings, teaching them how to save money for repairs and additional construction.

Project Impact
5000 people will benefit from the project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Brittany Bemis

Comments
This project accomplishes a tremendous amount with a small financial investment because of the widespread support of the community and the extensive use of community labor.

There will be demonstrable reduction of disease resulting from the protection of the waterway, upon which the people depend for their daily needs, from pollution from fecal material.

Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00

This project became infeasible before implementation without expenditure of funds. The donation from The Elmo Foundation has been re-allocated to another project.

Maseysini Borehole Project – Swaziland

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Maseysini Borehole Project – Swaziland

Location
Ndima Homestead, Maseysini Community, Shiselweni Region, Swaziland

Community Description
Maseysini is located on the main road between Mahamba and Nhlangano. The area of the community this project will affect is a close-knit section on top of a hill.

The nearest water source for this area of the community is in the garden, fifteen to twenty minutes away. The water source is small hole made dirty by cows, and people frequently get sick from the water. The homesteads in the area collect water daily, but rarely garden or keep animals because of the labor required to obtain water for these projects.

Project Description
This project is to drill a borehole in Maseysini.

The project will be implemented under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Lauren Cuddy Egbert.

The work will be done by the most reliable drilling company in Swaziland, Manzi Drilling.

The borehole will be placed on the homestead of the Ndima family, headed by Make Angelina Ndima who is a primary school teacher and a resource for many families in the community. (It is not possible to put the borehole on communal land because the costs of electricity and maintenance cannot be undertaken by the community at large.)

The Ndima family will run the borehole on their electricity and charge each homestead 15 emalangeni a month (about 1.50 USD) to access the tap. This small fee will cover the electricity costs of running the borehole. Because this water source will be privately run, the family will be able to set aside money for electricity and maintenance.

Project Impact
The borehole will be used by at least ten homesteads and will benefit upwards of seventy people.

Comments
This is an important project for the community. It utilizes the appropriate technology under the circumstances and provides a solution for sustainability within the means of the participating families.

The major portion of the funding for this project came from a $500 contribution from CannedWater4Kids, Sussex, WI, USA.

However, the project became infeasible and was terminated with no expenditure of funds. All donations have been re-allocated.

Bible Baptist Preschool Handwashing Station Project – Kenya

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Bible Baptist Preschool Handwashing Station Project – Kenya

Location
Kabarnet, Baringo Central County, North Rift, Kenya

Community Description
Kabarnet is a small community that overlooks the Kerio Valley and houses the District Hospital. It is the largest town in the Baringo District with a population of nearly 7,000 people.

In Kabarnet town, there is access to all basic necessities but even a couple kilometers outside of the community center, the standard of living decreases significantly.

Bible Baptist Preschool is located 2 kilometers from Kabarnet Town, and has about 25 students.

Problem Addressed
Each day, preschoolers go from playing on the front gate to digging in the dirt, to class, to going to the toilets, and then back to playing. By the time lunch rolls around their hands are anything but clean. Regularly they eat ugali, which is eaten with your hands.

There are no handwashing facilities for the students anywhere on the compound.

Frequently, students are found to be missing school because of minor health issues that can be prevented by providing them with a way and the knowledge to properly clean their hands.

Project Description
This project is to build a mobile handwashing station for the preschool.

The station will be placed outside during the school day and taken back inside the school at night by the teachers. The materials needed are simple – a ten-liter jerry can, a nozzle attached to the bottom of the can, and a stand to hold these off of the ground.

The Pastor of the Bible Baptist Church (who is also the Headmaster of the school) and the teachers have identified a fundi (craftsman) who will make a stand and attach the nozzle.

Water Charity funds will pay for the materials.

The Pastor will provide water to fill the can and soap for the students to utilize. Upon completion of the station, a handwashing day will be held for the students so that they can learn how to properly wash their hands, when they should wash their hands, and how to use the new station.

Project Impact
25 preschoolers and their teachers will benefit from the project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Andrea Aibner

Comments
This is a very small, very simple project that requires a very small amount of money to implement, but can make a difference in the lives of many.

Dollar Amount of Project
$30.00

This project has become infeasible and has been terminated without an expenditure of funds.

Dassalami Latrine Project – Senegal

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Dassalami Latrine Project – Senegal

Location
Dassalami Soce, Fatick Region, Senegal

Community Description
Dassalami Soce was founded by Ousmane Ndiaye in 1920 where he established himself with his family to make use of the land’s fertile soil for agriculture and due to his belief that the soil would contribute to the rapid growth of the village.

The community is nestled in the Fatick region near Toubacouta, near the mangroves of the Saloum. Dassalami accounts for 826 Muslim habitants of the following ethnicities: Mandinkas, Sereers, Peuls, Toucouleurs, Bambaras and Diolas. The Mandinkas are the predominant ethnic group in the community. The principal activities in the village are agriculture during the rainy season and the selling of cashew nuts during the dry season. Throughout the year, there are various activities programmed by 6 women’s and men’s associations.

Problem Addressed
The lack of access to improved latrines is a serious health hazard in many households and in the two schools in the community. There are several impoverished families whose subsistence needs leave them unable to save enough money to construct their own latrines, with entire families simply using the unsanitary practice of running behind their houses to defecate on the ground, or to the house of the closest neighbor with a latrine.

Project Description
As part of an overall program to build 100 latrines in the community, this project will result in the completion of 15 latrines.

The latrines will be of a technology called Latrine Ventilee a Double Fosse. The characteristics of these latrines make them last for longer periods of time, and significantly reduce flies, pathogens, and odors.

VIP latrines are better than traditional latrines in that they are more sanitary and easier to clean, are more enclosed for security reasons, and are less likely to collapse. They also have high-quality manufacturing for longer life span, and they eliminate environmental impact on the local water supply.

The latrines require little space and provide privacy to the families. Each latrine pit will be 2.50 m deep and 3.50 m wide and will be cement lined.

This project is being overseen by Ben Ndiaye, who has experience working with development organizations and is well-respected within the community, and Allassane Ndiaye, the health agent of the health hut in Dassalami Soce.

A skilled mason has been chosen to build the latrines.

Water Charity funds will be used to purchase materials, including cement and rebar, attachment wire, and metal rods, as well as to pay for the work of the mason to create bricks and platforms for each latrine.

The community will provide the water and sand used by the mason. Each household receiving a latrine will contribute the equivalent of $3 towards the mason’s fee.

In addition, participating families will provide the labor to dig the pit latrine holes, obtain the soil for bricks and platforms, and provide water throughout the entire process.

A care group model has been established in which about 10 volunteers are trained in hygiene and sanitation issues, including latrine maintenance. They will be responsible for passing on this information to the rest of the community.

Project Impact
The overall program will eventually benefit more than 1,240 habitats in 403 households and 300 students.

In addition, the community hosts a daara Islamic school six out of seven days of the week in both the mornings and the evenings, bringing an additional 80 students in the community who will indirectly benefit from the construction of the latrines.

The 15 latrines built under this project will serve approximately 200 people.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Venchele Saint Dic

Comments
The overall program is an important step to lead the community toward latrine compliance, and this project plays a significant part. It will have widespread health benefits in the reduction of illness.

Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00

Conclusion
This project became infeasible and was not implemented. There was no expenditure of funds.

San Miguel Ingenio Water Tank Project – El Salvador

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San Miguel Ingenio Water Tank Project – El Salvador

This project is made possible through the partnership of WATER CHARITY and the National Peace Corps Association.

Location
San Miguel Ingenio, El Salvador

Community Description
San Miguel Ingenio is located in the Northwestern part of El Salvador. It belongs to the municipality of Metapán and the Department of Santa Ana. The community is located about 40 minutes from Metapán, which is the nearest town to San Miguel Ingenio.

There is an active community organization (LA ADESCO), which meets regularly to improve community institutions and solve problems. The ADESCO is also in charge of the water system.

Problem Addressed
San Miguel Ingenio only has one water tank for their entire community. A 15,750-gallon cement tank sits above the community on a mountain, fed by a nearby mountain stream.

The community has noticed that the tank is starting to deteriorate on the outside. Moss is starting to grow and there are watermarks that are slowly deteriorating the cement foundation. The community organization is committed to preserving the water supply and believes that the tank can be protected from this damage.

Project Description
The project shall be to clean, smooth, seal, and apply waterproof paint on the water tank in such a way as to prevent it from deteriorating, and ensure that it will last for many years to come.

The community contribution will be buying all the necessary materials to clean and prepare the tank. Community members will scrape off the moss and use detergents to clean the tank. The community will also provide all the labor to paint the tank and ensure that the paint covers the tank properly with two coats. Water Charity is supplying the town with funds for the paint, paintbrushes, and other incidentals.

Project Impact
1500 people live in the village and use this water supply for everything.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Maureen Mitchell

Monitoring and Maintenance
LA ADESCO will monitor the project and do follow-up visits to the tank to ensure the paint was applied properly. Maureen will oversee the project, and she (or the current PCV stationed there) will see to it that the tank is kept up and functional.

Dollar Amount of Project
$500

Donations Collected to Date
$500

Dollar Amount Needed
$0 = This project has now been fully funded.

The Peace Corps Volunteer was evacuated from the country for security reasons and was not able to implement the project. Donations for this project were re-allocated to other projects.

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