2015

Total Donated in 2015: $7,438.13

March- total $3,500

$875.00- BURKINA FASO Latrine Building and Sanitation Education

This project focuses on enhancing the sanitation of the villagers of a local town and the aire sanitaire (6 villages, whose habitants visit this town daily for the marché, schools, CSPS, and religious centers, a total population of approximately 10,572). Two community latrines will be built at the marché (one of the latrines will be a reparation as that latrine is not usable in its current condition), along with a latrine for each heavily trafficked religious center (Protestant church, Catholic church, central mosque, Koranic school, and three larger neighborhood mosques). None of these establishments have any designated area for urination or defecation. Ultimately, however, this project's underlying objectives are to train community members on how to build latrines, as well as to commence a series of hygiene awareness campaign for all villagers. They do not--and will not--understand the importance of the construction of these latrines without proper education: hence, the introduction of these latrines. The community already has in place a project steering committee of seven members who contribute financially with materials and labor and will donate permanent handwashing stations and soap to be placed next to the latrines. The steering committee is also responsible for informing community members about the latrines, as the construction will serve as a training on how to build a private latrine. This is especially important, because the village has stressed the need of latrines, as well as the village developmental committee, who has a goal of building a total of 105 latrines by the end of 2015. The latrine project steering committee will also be trained on how to properly educate students and villagers on hygiene, and proper latrine usage and maintenance.

$875.00- ZAMBIA Maternity Ward and Mother's Shelter Water Access

A rural health center currently acquires water from a borehole approximately 500m from the facility. This means mothers waiting for delivery at the shelter have to pump and carry water longer than recommended for a woman late in her pregnancy. Sanitation of the maternity ward is also compromised and equipment washed at the same water source used for laundry and general access from the surrounding area compromising privacy and sanitation elsewhere. The project aims to reduce the distance covered by mothers at the waiting shelter for fetching water by providing a tap access at the shelter. The project will also provide a direct water source in the maternity ward of the clinic. This will include the installation of a solar powered submersible pump and water tank to facilitate water access via taps at the mother's shelter and in the maternity ward. To encourage the long term maintenance of the equipment setup, a training will be conducted empowering individuals for income generating activities in the areas of gardening and tailoring. This will ensure the involved community group will have the finances for long term maintenance and even further upgrade of the clinic facility infrastructure. The water pump is an upgrade needed and recognized by the community, and the participating members are prepared to contribute labor for both installation and long term maintenance. The potential impact reaches all families of the community as women can be ensured a safer stay at the shelter waiting for delivery and more sanitary delivery in the ward. Overall hygiene in the clinic will improve, preventing infections and improving general privacy of the maternity ward.

$375.00 and $500.00 on behalf of Maryann Kinzel (total $875)- SENEGAL School Garden Well

The purpose of this project is to provide a clean, accessible water source and school garden to a rapidly expanding rural village in southern Senegal. The well will be placed at the local elementary school and will provide drinking water for over 100 people, in addition, the well will serve a school garden, which will begin construction after the well in installed. Currently, water access for over 700 people is limited to several functioning shallow wells that run dry four months of the year. There is currently no centrally located functioning well in this area. The new well will minimize contaminated runoff into the water source by offering both a raised and partially covered well head. Additionally, subsequent training in water sanitation will train at least forty women and twenty men in proper water care, including filtering, water storage, and bleach purification. This project will allow for a school garden to be created by the community and will create both water and food security for the entire village.

$875.00- CAMEROON Community Garden and Water Project

The people of a remote farming village are trying to improve their overall health by improving their access to potable water. The village is far from the main town and due to a suspended bamboo bridge the town is only accessible by foot. Currently, people are using local streams as their only water source. Streams are generally contaminated as people also use them for going to the bathroom, washing laundry, taking baths, or throwing waste products away. Additionally, the streams are located downhill from farms and therefore get runoff pesticides. The people are not only drinking directly from the streams, but they are also using the river water to create their main food source, fufu. As of now, women and children must fetch water from rivers far distances away, spending much of their time each day collecting water. Having a water system will increase the health of the community by increasing the availability of potable water. If the town is able to implement a new water system, they can also use this purified water in mixing their fufu and washing their vegetables, cutting down on disease and illness. The entire community is the driving force behind this project and has identified a water system as their top priority. This project will benefit all the members of the village, and the people are willing to do whatever necessary to ensure its success. The whole community has raised funds for the project and will also assist in labor and material costs. We have already started water sanitation lessons, have completed screening for malnutrition, and will implement nutrition lessons and demonstrations in connection to this project.

May- total $1,500 in memory of Tim Ahrens

$1,500.00- GHANA Community Borehole Project

Our community of nearly 500 persons suffers from the lack of potable water, which negatively affects the health and well-being of the community members. This proposed project will be to establish a Water and Sanitation (WATSAN) Committee that will direct the drilling of two boreholes; maintain these boreholes for potable water; and educate the other community members on the importance of proper hygiene practices. Contributions from community members will include but are not limited to volunteering for the WATSAN committee to assist in construction, maintenance, and sustainability of the boreholes. These volunteers will educate the surrounding communities on water and sanitation issues and will establish good working relationships with local stakeholders such as the local government and NGOs. This project will help to mitigate the spread of water-borne diseases and increase living standards in the community.

September- total $2,438.13

$2,438.13- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Agua es Vida

There are four communities affected by a contaminated water source, and plagued by parasites and bacteria. In the past three months, there have been over 150 cases of water-borne illnesses. The majority of these cases are infants and the elderly. Both age groups suffer more dire consequences. The communities share a common aqueduct. The walls are deteriorated due to mold and rodents, and even more dangerous contaminants. It lacks a top cover, so debris and animal waste easily enters the community drinking water. Overall, the communities desperately need to cover the cement aqueduct, clean and replace damaged tubing, and fortify the system to prevent future damage. The members of the water committee have hosted reunions with all the community members to motivate the community to be involved when help arrives. All labor and food preparations would be provided voluntarily. After the completion of the project, infants will thrive without the risk of diarrhea, and cholera can be reduced all due to purified drinking water.

Agua es Vida - Update