Rwanda

Community Description
Gakenke is a district in the Northern Province of Rwanda. The population is 80% farmers and all relatively poor. The total catchment population for the targeted health centers is 334,000 people.

There are 18 health centers in Gakenke District with some form of running water. The plumbing facilities in the health centers are constantly out of order because of basic maintenance and repair problems.

The staff of the health centers has had no training on how to maintain or fix the plumbing, including toilets and sinks. The result is that once plumbing fixtures are broken, they are no longer used, and the hygiene of the staff and patients of the health center is compromised.

Nurses are unable to wash their hands after each patient consultation, people cannot wash their hands after going to the bathroom, and patients' families cannot wash their hands before preparing meals for the patients.

At present, plumbing problems are dealt with by calling a technician from a distant place, sometimes 3-hours away. It often takes days for a technician to come out to repair something as simple as a broken faucet or sink.

Project Description
This project is to provide training for a representative of the maintenance staff of each of the 18 health centers to maintain and repair the plumbing of the facilities.

A plumber has been selected to lead the hands-on training session in Kinyarwanda, the local language. The 18 participants will be organized in small groups of 6 people to encourage hands-on practice. Each training session will last two days and will end with a hands-on test where the participants will demonstrate the skills they have learned.

This training will be a pilot project, and, if concrete results are seen, it will be repeated with health centers of other districts in Rwanda.

Project Impact
334,000 people will benefit from this project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Kitty Hall

Comments
With this training, representatives of each health center will be able to maintain the plumbing and do basic repairs, which will encourage good hygiene.

This is a unique approach to a simple but widespread problem, that of reducing the spread of disease that comes from poor hygiene. The impact of training key people to do work when it is required will be orders of magnitude more effective than reacting to each problem as it comes up as an individual need.

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
Gakenke is a district in the Northern Province of Rwanda. The population is 80% farmers, and all relatively poor.

The Coko Health Center serves the district, and has a population catchment area of 16,956 people. It is the first stop for sick people and pregnant women in the community. However, it is very remote, located over a one-hour drive from the closest paved road.

The health center addresses the basic health needs of the entire population, including maternity services, HIV/AIDS voluntary counseling and testing, pediatrics service, and a laboratory.

Currently only one consultation room in the main health center building has running water, making it impossible for nurses to wash their hands between patients.

A new building that is used for HIV/AIDS voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) as well as prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS (PMTCT) has 7 sinks in the bathrooms, laboratories, and consultation rooms. However the building is not connected to a water source.

Project Description
This project is to put running water into two buildings at the health center.

First, sinks will be provided and water connected for two consultation rooms in the main health center building.

In addition, a water supply will be run into the new building that provides VCT/PMTCT services. A presently unused water tank will be used as a water supply.

Currently the health center has two functioning 5,000 liter water tanks which collect rain water and are connected to an underground water source.

The health center will provide labor and funds as needed to bring the project to fruition.

Project Impact
16,956 people will benefit from the improved hygiene in the health center.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Kitty Hall

Comments
This is a huge project in terms of impact it will have on the heavily-used community health center. It will improve hygiene, reducing illness, and allowing staff to demonstrate proper sanitary practices that others will emulate.

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 Owl Studios Jazz Records.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Volunteer Kitty Hall of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Kitty and/or those of her counterpart PCVs in Rwanda.

Community Description
The Kaniga sector, District of Gicumbi, Northern Province, Republic of Rwanda is a rural area, composed mainly of poor agro-pastoralists and subsistence farmers.

The Mulindi Health Center is the primary intake facility for the sick in the area, serving a population of almost 17,000. The service area includes 3 sectors, 10 cells, and 41 different villages. Because of its proximity to the Uganda border, the center also serves a significant transient population.

The latrines currently in use at the center are beyond capacity, and can no longer accommodate the needs of the expanding patient caseload.

Project Description
This project is to build new pit latrines at the health center.

The latrines will be constructed using local labor and mostly local supplies. A hole 6 meters wide and 4 meters deep will be dug. Then, a building of two rooms will be constructed, one for men and the other for women.

The building itself will be made of mud bricks and stones, with a sheet metal roof. The foundation will be made of cement and stone.

Project Impact
16,966 people will benefit from this project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Devin Johnson

Comments
A health center must provide facilities that comply with the best practices of hygiene espoused by the staff. Since existing facilities are unsanitary, and have become unusable, the replacement of the latrines is crucial to the ongoing delivery of services to the increasing population.

Dollar Amount of Project
$500.00

Donations Collected to Date
$175.00

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
$325.00

Community Description
The Manyagiro Sector, Gicumbi District, is located in the Northern Province of Rwanda. The rural area is mountainous and does not have running water or electricity. Agriculture is the main source of income in the region.

The MAFUREBO Primary School is determined to educate the youth that attend through a progressive and forward-thinking curriculum.

The current rainwater collection system at the school is unsafe and unsanitary. It is also inadequate, as it does not accumulate enough water during the rainy season to last through the dry season, and there are no spigots in the region to obtain water by other means. Thus, the school is left without access to water during part of the year.

Project Description
This project is to install an 80 cubic meter water collection and storage system for the MAFUREBO Primary School. The improved system will be constructed of plastic and will be covered to keep contaminants from entering.

Project funds will be used to cover the costs of materials, supplies, transport fees, and skilled labor.

Information on the use and importance of hand washing and hygiene will be illustrated through demonstrations and lessons integrated into the existing curriculum throughout the school year. Additional lessons on health and hydration will be highlighted as well.

Project Impact
1,320 teachers and students will directly benefit from this project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Avery Karlowich

Comments
A safe and hygienic water collection system will provide a year-round water supply for the school. It will immediately have a positive effect on the school and dramatically improve the health and wellbeing of the students.

Dollar Amount of Project
$500.00

Donations Collected to Date
$170.00

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
$330.00