$401 to $500

Community Description
Kedougou is the capital of the region of the same name in the far southeast of Senegal, bordering Guinea and Mali. Although there is a municipal water system in Kedougou, over half of the 15,000 residents still get their water from wells, many of them unlined and inadequately protected from rainwater infiltration.

Kedougou has a major asset in the Unite d'Apprentissage Polyvalente (UAP) a local vocational school which teaches metalwork with a strong emphasis on creating appropriate technology solutions.

Segou, Koboye and Pellel are rural villages an average of 30 km from the capital. None have running water and most wells are unlined. Pellel in particular has a severe water shortage in the dry season with villagers sometimes resorting to drinking extremely muddy water from unlined wells.

Project Description
This pilot project will utilize the talents of a local UAP graduate metalworker to fabricate a mold for casting concrete biosand filters. Biosand filters use gravel and sand, plus a biological layer, to filter out harmful pollutants in drinking water.

With the completed mold, 4 pilot filters will be fabricated for use in the test villages. Volunteers in each village will train the villagers on their proper use and maintenance.

There are two parts to the process for the fabrication of the filter:

1) Fabrication of the mold. This involves local metal workers bending and welding sheet metal into two concentric cylinders and a bottom plate.

2) Fabrication of the filters. The filters themselves are made of concrete which is poured into the mold around a thin rebar frame for strength. A PVC pipe is embedded in the concrete to pass the filtered water. Above the water line a diffuser plate of plastic mesh is installed so that pouring water into the filter will not disturb the biological layer.

The filters will be fabricated at the individual sites so that transportation will be needed only for the mold and cement, and not the significantly heavier finished filter.

Sand of the grade and type needed for the various layers of the filters will be sourced locally at each village. In the Kedougou region, the requisite sand is fairly plentiful.

Project Impact
The initial run of pilot project filters will benefit about 80 people.

When the demonstration project is scaled up, it will have an impact on hundreds to thousands of people.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Matt McLaughlin

Comments
Upon a successful showing of the capability of producing filters at reasonable cost, and a demonstration of their durability, a follow-up project can scale up the production of the filters to supply other villages in the region. This could serve as a model for Peace Corps Senegal to use to extend the technology for use by volunteers posted in other regions.

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
Essau is on the north bank of the Gambian River, just past the ferry port town of Barra, in the Lower Niumi District.

Essau Senior Secondary School is a secondary school where students continue their education in hopes of being able to go on to professional jobs and/or higher education at either the college or a university. Students from 5 nearby villages come to attend classes.

Water is available at the high school from only a single tap at the front of the school. It is in poor condition, leaking constantly and wasting water. There is no running water in the restrooms, located at the back of the school.

The leaking tap leaves standing water, allowing mosquitoes to breed, creating conditions conducive to the spread of malaria.

There is also a small community just outside of the school that gets its water from the high school tap.

Project Description
This project will create a piping system throughout the school. It will bring water to the administrator's house and to the toilets for the staff, boys, and girls. It will also provide water for the science labs.

Project Impact
The 395 students that attend ESSS, consisting of 204 boys and 191 girls, along with the staff, consisting of 27 people, will benefit from the project.

The 900 people living in the cluster of homes across the street from the school will also benefit.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Brian Sisco

Comments
This project provides a needed water supply to various buildings in a secondary school. It removes a health hazard, and also creates a better environment for the neighboring community. It provides great benefit to a large number of people at a low cost.

Dollar Amount of Project
$636.00

Donations Collected to Date
$181.00

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
$455.00

This project has been completed. To read about the conclusion of this project, CLICK HERE.

Community Description
From 1996-2001 Kasese experience a civil war between its government and local rebels. Hundreds of people lost limbs due to landmines.

This project is being carried out under the auspices of Rwenzori Empowerment Center-Kasese (RECKLAS). For the past eight years, RECKLAS has been providing a multitude of services to community members in Kasese who are physically disabled.

The project is directed toward people who have lost one or both legs to landmines in the area, and are already enrolled in the RECKLAS program.

Thus far, RECKLAS has provided more than 200 victims with counseling, new limbs and shoes, rehabilitation and much more. These limbs have made a significant difference in the lives of these survivors, as they are now able to work, take care of their families and move around without assistance.

Because of their location, disability, and income level almost all of these people use pit latrines of the type that is used all over Uganda. One basic function that these victims are still struggling with is the use of the latrine.

The latrines in use are just a small hole in the ground that the user squats over. For those with disabilities (most of them without one or both legs) it becomes very difficult to balance themselves to properly use the latrine.

Project Description
This project is to construct latrine seats for the RECKLAS participants. Prototypes have been built and tested, and have been found to provide great assistance for the users.

The latrine seat is a wooden box seat that fits over a latrine hole. It gives the disabled a comfortable place to sit while using the latrine in a sanitary way. These seats will restore a sense of dignity and normalcy to the disabled, because they will be able to perform this function without assistance.

The latrine seat is constructed of wood by local craftsmen. It is completely waterproofed to ensure easy cleaning. It also includes a cover to keep out the flies, and will lead to a good sanitation teaching session.

Project Impact
This project will empower and give dignity to 46 people, who will be able to use latrines in a convenient manner, without assistance.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Peace Corps Volunteer Bailey Shook works directly with RECKLAS, and is managing this project

Comments
This is a high-impact project, providing wellbeing and dignity to a segment of Uganda society devastated by the impact of civil unrest. It is the first project of Appropriate Projects aimed at serving the disabled population.

The project holds the promise of even greater impact beyond the great immediate benefit to the recipients. If this pilot project is well received and continues to be beneficial to its users, it can be replicated elsewhere.

The manufacture and distribution of the latrine seat could potentially be developed as a small business from which revenue can be derived and jobs created.

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.

Dollar Amount Needed
$500.00

This project has been completed. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.

We are still accepting donations to replenish our project fund and to enable the further work of PVC Shook and her counterparts in Uganda.

Community Description
Canton San Antonio is located 7 Km north of its municipality center El Triunfo in the northern zone of the department of Usulután. A 2007 census reported 890 residents in approximately 115 families.

The canton has an 80% graduation rate from the local public school of 9 grades. Half receive a 3 year high school degree, and less than 20% pursue college. Very few individuals pursue technical crafts outside of agriculture.

San Antonio is on a fairly well traveled road which connects El Triunfo to Sasorí. The canton has above average access to transportation. The majority of the houses have direct vehicle access, and public busses pass every hour.

95% of the community has electricity and access to mail. As there is no phone line, the majority of residents use cellular phones. 80% of residents own titles for their land.

In addition to river water, the canton has access to natural springs which supply the majority of water for drinking and washing. 25% of the residents are connected to a small gravity-fed chlorinated system, but the water is not used for drinking.

San Antonio, like many other rural communities in El Salvador, has a rainy season and a dry season. During the rainy season (May-Oct) farmers are actively growing and harvesting crops to sell in the markets and to feed their families.

Crop diversity is low due to time, temperature, and weather constraints. The majority of crop grown are beans and corn. During the dry season (Nov-April) there is no work, no crops, and the families are completely dependant on the income and stored crop from the previous rainy season to survive until the next rainy season.

Another problem is the overuse and dependence on chemical fertilizers and insecticides. The prices of these chemical fertilizers are drastically increasing leaving poor farmers behind without alternative organic techniques.

Runoff from the chemically treated fields penetrates into the water systems and cause sicknesses in the communities. Fertile soils are being replaced by chemical supplements which add to the country’s growing erosion problems as well.

Project Description
This project is to build 3 aquaponics systems. It is a natural extension of a prior project in which community members were trained in the technology, and a model system was built to demonstrate its benefits.

PCV Rosenfeld describes the technology as follows:

Aquaponics is a new and innovative farming technique that combines agriculture with aquaculture. In this system there is a fish tank that contains Tilapia and a pump that pumps water into grow beds filled with volcanic rocks and plants. These grow beds have a flash drain (like a toilet) so they completely fill and empty every 15 minutes.

The process is that the fish create manure that is pumped to the grow beds where bacteria break down the manure into nitrates which the plants then absorb. Thus, the fish receive clean, aerated water and the plants receive nutrients. Since the system cycles, there is no need for additional water, except to replace what evaporates. The benefit in this country is that this system allows farmers to farm organically year round.

With the project funds, 3 submersible pumps, PCV tubing, 300 lbs of fish food, and 4,000 fish will be purchased. This will be sufficient to get the farmers started, and the system will become sustainable with the funds derived from the output.

A cooperative was started to assist and encourage people to build aquaponics systems. Two families have already constructed their fish tanks, and a third is saving the funds to do so. These families were selected based on their enthusiasm and participation in the training, and their desire and ability to follow through.

A model system was first built as a training system. PCV Rosenfeld and the early adopters will continue classes with local farmers, the national Agronomy University, Ministerio de Agricola, and various other NGOs in the country.

Each participant will build his own grow beds, which is the biggest cost of the project. The grow beds will be made of cement and filled with volcanic rock.

Within the grow beds farmers can cultivate almost any plant from vegetables to fruit trees to ornamental plants to sell in the local markets. Currently they are working with Roma Tomatoes and cucumber.

The co-op will donate 10% of its annual profit to the ADESCOPAZ de Canton San Antonio, an elected community government body whose purpose is general community development. Currently that body is working on projects such as a potable water system for the village, and a children’s park.

Project Impact
Three families will benefit directly from the project. However, its successful completion will doubtless stir many others in the community to embrace the technology and build systems of their own.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Nick Rosenfeld

Comments
This is a project that demonstrates the benefits of an extremely valuable and useful technology to the community. It will compel others who have been trained to follow suit, and will create interest in still others to undertake training.

The fish and produce can be used by participants to help feed their families. However, the items produced in excess of the individual needs can be sold, making this project a model in business implementation.

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.

Dollar Amount Needed
$500.00

This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.