$401 to $500

Community Description
Georgia is bounded on the west by the Black Sea, on the north by Russia, on the south by Turkey and Armenia, and on the east by Azerbaijan.

The independence of Georgia was restored in 1991. The country subsequently went through periods of economic crisis, civil unrest, and armed conflict. Although there has been democratic reform, economic growth has remained slow.

Rustavi (pop. 160,000) is the city center of the southern Georgian region of Kvemo Kartli. Kvemo Kartli is a diverse region with many ethnic Azeris (the largest minority group in this region), Russians and internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Although occupied for centuries prior, the modern city of Rustavi arose in 1948 to support Soviet steel, metal and chemical industries. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the decline of its metallurgy industry, Rustavi has faced high employment and poverty.

Today, many Rustavi residents survive off the earnings of relatives working in Tbilisi or abroad. Approximately one-fourth of the Georgian population lives outside the country working to support family members at home.

Rustavi School #10 is located in one of the poorest micro-districts of the city. Over forty percent of the students attending this school come from families that fall below the poverty line (as defined by the Georgian government). Fifty students are internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the breakaway regions. The school serves first through twelfth graders and occupies a four-story building.

Project Description
This project is to renovate three bathrooms in the school. These separate bathrooms service female students, male students and teachers. Each of the student bathrooms contains five stalls; the teacher bathroom contains two stalls. In each of the three bathrooms, squatting bowls serve as the human waste repositories.

Although water tanks were installed previously, they no longer function and are beyond repair. The school cleaner uses buckets of water to clean the squatting bowls. As a result, water often overflows releasing human waste onto the floor. Additionally, the pipes carrying the waste away from the basins are broken and leak into the school hallway. Although there is one sink in each bathroom, no soap is available for students to clean their hands.

The school will replace the pipes, water tanks and tubes connecting the tanks with the toilets so that the flush mechanism will work correctly. In addition, new sinks will be installed, along with soap dispensers, soap and hand towels.

To supplement the sanitation repairs, the school will conduct after-school sanitation trainings with student volunteers in each grade level. These students will then deliver short presentations to their peers during classes to promote hand-washing and proper hygiene practices.

The work will be done by a local contractor, and will be completed in less than one month.

Project Impact
A total of 476 students and 61 staff will directly benefit from this project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Alene Kennedy Hendricks

Comments
This is our first project in Georgia. We are happy to play a small part in helping to rebuild the infrastructure so as to provide for the basic needs of the students and faculty of the school.

This project fixes the water system and restores the basic sanitation of a school. However, perhaps more importantly, it helps revive the dignity of people caught in an unfortunate economic environment who have the desire but lack the funds to improve their local conditions.

Dollar Amount of Project
$500.00

Donations Collected to Date
$0.00

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 Project will be allocated to other projects directed by this PCV and/or projects of other PCVs in this country.

Dollar Amount Needed
$500.00

Community Description
Salapwuk is a small village of about 200 people, located in the mountains of Pohnpei, the largest island in the Federated States of Micronesia. It has a hot and humid tropical climate for most of the year, but a seasonal drought.

Salapwuk’s residents are primarily subsistence farmers who grow yam, breadfruit, and kava, as well as raise pigs and chickens, and live without electricity and many modern conveniences.

A four room schoolhouse serves 85 students in grades 1-8, as well as serving as a central meeting place for community meetings and events. There is currently no potable water at the school.

As Micronesia’s economy is moving away from traditional subsistence living toward a modern cash economy, the schools are of foremost importance for preparing students in English, math, and science so they can seek out jobs in the developing economy.

Project Description
This project is to build a dam at one of the rivers that runs through the jungle surrounding Salapwuk. This dam will ensure that water reaches the homes of Salapwuk's 200 residents as well as provide clean water to the school.

Project funds will be used to purchase local sand, gravel, and cement to build the dam.

The existing groundwater pipe system will be used to transport the water from the dam to the 30 homes in the community as well as to the school.

Members of the community will donate their time and skills to implement the project. In addition, local suppliers have offered their support to complete the project within budget.

Project Impact
The project will provide water to the community of Salapwuk as a whole, approximately 200 people. In addition it will serve the 85 students of the school.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Ruthanne Swanson

Comments
The benefits of this inexpensive project are immeasurable. The community will have water year-round, and a school will have potable water for the students.

Water will be available for each of the families in the community, particularly during the yearly drought season, providing life to the community.

In addition, as Pohnpei State's government regulates that a school may not remain open without water, the project ensures the continued existence of the school.

Dollar Amount of Project
$500.00

Donations Collected to Date
$0.00

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 Project will be allocated to other projects directed by this PCV and/or projects of other PCVs in this country.

Dollar Amount Needed
$500.00

Community Description
Iztate is one of the small "douars" in the village of Khoukhate, a village that relies almost exclusively on agriculture and sheep herding for its survival. Khoukhate is located in the Middle Atlas region of Morocco in the shadow of the Eastern High Atlas Mountains.

While the surrounding area is very dry, Khoukhate's location in a valley between three plateaus and fed by seven natural springs renders the village exceptionally lush. The first portion of this project will take place in the Iztate primary school, while the second portion will take place in the center of the douar.

The entire village of Khoukhate contains approximately 1400 residents, and according to the most recent Ministry of Health statistics available, 471 individuals reside in Iztate in 62 different households. 37 are between the ages of nine months and five years of age, while an additional 91 are between the ages of five and fourteen.

Of the 91 school-age students, 58 are currently attending the Iztate primary school.

The community is tightly knit and the majority of residents are related to each other through blood or marriage, with virtually no immigration. Families have lived in the same houses and farmed the same land for generations, and the village feels far removed from the fast-developing cities of Morocco.

Electricity was installed just seven years ago, and there is still no running water, paved roads, or health services.

Project Description
This project has two parts:

(1) Completion of a school bathroom project, and

(2) Installation of a pair of public toilets in the center of the community.

Completion of the School Bathroom Project (50% of project funds)
In late December, 2009, the PCV in Khoukhate began working with the community of Iztate and the director of the primary school to construct a set of toilets for the school. To that point the school had no toilets or running water. At the same time, the ministry of infrastructure began a project to bring running water to Iztate, and promised to include the newly constructed toilets in the coming water system.

Construction of the toilets progressed with this promise in mind, and the toilets were completed. However, problems between the local government office, the ministry, and the community arose, and it became apparent that the running water would not be forthcoming.

Project funds will be used to purchase a small pump, a water tank, and the necessary piping to bring water from a nearby well into the school toilets. The well and pump will be protected by a small locked structure, which will keep pollutants out of the water and keep the pump safe and dry. Finally, a small a mural will be painted on the side of the toilets to illustrate the importance of hand washing.

Installation of public toilets (50% of project funds)
The second part of the project is to install a set of toilets in the center of the village for use by the public. There are a large number of houses in Iztate that do not have bathrooms, forcing residents to use the surrounding fields and gardens for this purpose.

Iztate is a relatively densely populated and compact douar, and this lack of proper sanitation practices has contaminated the ground to the extent that the well water has become undrinkable and residents must carry their water from one of the natural springs.

A pair of public bathrooms in a central location will provide residents with a sanitary alternative to relieving themselves outdoors. Their placement just outside the mosque, where nearly everyone goes to pray five times a day, will make them a convenient alternative as well.

An empty room attached to the mosque will be used to house the toilets so that the toilets and plumbing can be installed without the necessity of constructing a new structure.

The men of the village will provide all of the labor for this project.

Project Impact
There are 58 students and 3 teachers who will directly benefit from the first part of the project. In addition, 471 residents of the community will directly benefit from the second part.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Cynthia Berning

Comments
The combined parts of this project provide a great benefit for the school and the community for a small dollar amount. The first part makes the school toilets serviceable by providing running water. This exemplifies the objective of Appropriate Projects to “finish” projects that have been started and make them functional.

The second part, a public bathroom in the middle of the town, serves a vital public health function for the entire community by protecting the ground water from pollution by human waste, and greatly improving overall sanitation in the community.

Dollar Amount of Project
$500.00

Donations Collected to Date
$0.00

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 Project will be allocated to other projects directed by this PCV and/or projects of other PCVs in this country.

Dollar Amount Needed
$500.00