Location
Novoukrainka, Kirovohrad Oblast, Ukraine
Community Description
Novoukrainka is a small city that serves as a Regional Center in the Kirovohrad Oblast, 350 kilometers south and slightly east of Kyiv, in the heartland of Ukraine.
It is a farming community surrounded by rolling hills of corn, sunflower, and wheat fields. The main industries in the town are the Mueseli Factory and the Bread Bakery which utilize these regional crops and provide for most of the local employment.
During the Soviet era, this area was part of the vast national sugar beet industry. However, in recent times local farmers have shifted to growing other crops. As a result, the sugar beet factory closed several years ago. Since then, the community has been plagued by high unemployment and, along with the rest of the country, challenging financial times.
Many people rely heavily on their gardens and “dachas” for sustenance.
“Zorit”, the Regional Center of Children and Youth Creativity, was created as a means of helping improve the education and wellbeing of the youth by providing additional training in arts and crafts, the sciences, computer technology, and history.
Currently, there is no running water in the main building where Zorit is located. Consequently, everyone must wash their hands in a basin with water from a hand-filled container with a hose/spigot. This water is regularly drawn from an outside cistern/well located in the schoolyard. The gray water must then be disposed of by carrying it outside and dumping it in a flower bed next to the building.
Aside from bottled water, there is no potable drinking water for the children and teachers.
As stated by the director of Zorit,
“We educate love to Motherland, careful attitude toward nature, respect to folk traditions, to the folk culture, and to revive folk handicrafts. We have the museum of our history….We want to do a lot of good for our children, but we do have not enough money. We have projects and ideas. We are ready to co-operate with all who are concerned about the fate of our children. Thank you.”
Project Description
This is the first of three projects at the center involving the improvement of water quality in the community. It will provide clean water for drinking and washing hands for the children and teachers.
The project will bring water from a pipe in the school yard to the building. The pipe will be run 55 meters to get to the outside of the building and 28 meters to the location of the sink in a hallway next to the dance studio.
The project will include the installation of two pedestal sinks, one for washing and one for a drinking fountain. In addition, a water filter will be installed.
The gray water from the sinks will be disposed of via a connection to a sewer pipe that is located in the street.
The work will be done by the school’s maintenance/engineer staff.
Project funds will be used to buy the pipe, fittings, fixtures, and water filter.
A follow-up project planned for the future in a separate building is the bringing of hot water and the purification of water.
After that, a project is planned to improve the toilet facilities at the school.
Project Impact
The project will benefit 2000 children from the five schools in Novoukrainka and the orphanage at Rivne, as well as the 68 employees of Zorit and visitors to the school and museum.
Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Lynae Slinden
Comments
This project kicks off a comprehensive program to improve the water delivery and water quality to the center, and to improve sanitation and hygiene.
Dollar Amount of Project
$500.00
Donations Collected to Date
$500.00
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, with the help of friends and family of Peace Corps Volunteer Lynae Slinden.
We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Lynae 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.