$301 to $400

Community Description
The island of Saona is located off the South East point of the Dominican Republic. The island is a part of the Dominican Republic National Park system, Parque National del Este.

Mano Juan, located one hour by boat from the port of Bayahibe, is the larger of two coastal communities located on the island. It has a population is 230 people, 28% of whom are youth under the age of 18.

People living in Mano Juan are financially dependent on the tourism industry, with a minority depending on fisheries.

Mano Juan does not have a potable water system. Therefore, individual homes collect rainwater, which they chlorinate and use for drinking.

Over half of the families in Mano Juan lack a sanitation facility, and the residents utilize the beach or forest for their needs, thus creating environmental and health problems.

The Mano Juan Primary School is located in the community, and teaches through the 8th grade.

Project Description
This project is to construct two EcoBaños (ecological bathrooms or composting latrines) at the school.

The Pro Desarrollo Comunitario de Mano Juan committee, with assistance from the Peace Corps environmental volunteer, has planned this as a pilot project. The ultimate goal is for every house in Mano Juan to have a proper sanitation facility within the next 2 years.

The design provides for the capture of the waste above the ground, thus eliminating the possibility that the groundwater will be polluted.

The cement double-vault latrines will be constructed of steel-reinforced concrete. The concrete is made by mixing cement, sand, and gravel.

The “toilet” portion is made from a specific mold that allows for the separation of the urine and fecal matter. Urine exits through a tube, and the fecal material is left to dry. The composted material can then be safely removed and used as fertilizer.

The base has two compartments. The first compartment will be used until full, an average of 6 months. That compartment will then be capped, and the second compartment will be used.

Trained Health Promoters will visit the school and cover different topics ranging from health risks to parts of the latrine. A local mason has attended an EcoBaño training, and will construct the latrines, with construction time projected to be 2 ½ weeks.

Community participation includes manual labor volunteers for every work day for 7 days, and breakfast and lunch for the laborers. Transportation from port to island has been donated by the local Ministry of Environment office.

Community members will transport materials from the community dock to the storage location at the school. The community solicited the donation of materials, including the zinc needed for the structure.

Student groups have raised funds through various community events to buy paint, with which students will paint an educational mural upon completion of project.

Project funds will be used to buy the remaining materials. In addition, they will pay for the labor of the mason and some transport costs.

The Health Promoter will continue with education during and after the construction to ensure that the latrine is maintained properly.

Project Impact
230 people will benefit from the project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Colleen Ferris

Comments
The project will provide appropriate sanitation facilities for the school, and also serve as an educational and motivational tool to demonstrate the composting latrine technology for proper waste management.

Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00

Donations Collected to Date
$205.00

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
$350.00

Community Description
Fass Kahone is a small town of approximately 150 residents, located approximately 20 km north of the national highway in the southern region of Kolda, Senegal. It is divided into 15 family compounds, with a population of 20% adult males, 28% adult female, 28% boys and 24% girls.

The village is primarily Pulaar speaking, with primary economic dependence on subsistence farming, some sale of crops and vegetables, and small business ventures. The primary agricultural outputs are corn, millet, peanuts, cotton and rice.

There are currently four wells in the village. Of these four, only one has a pulley and none have completed well heads, leaving them susceptible to surface run off and collapse.

All four of the wells are simple, hand-dug, unlined pits. They reach an average depth of 15-20 meters, with the water table highly variable throughout the year. As they are, the wells present a danger of physical injury, as well as diarrheal disease, due to contamination.

Project Description
This project is to improve 4 wells in Fass Kahone.

Construction will include the reinforcement of well openings to prevent collapse, creation of 100 cm high cement well heads, and installation of pulleys.

The cement work will be done by a local mason from Fass Kahone. All work will be coordinated by the PCV community counterpart in Fass Kahone, Mr. Oumar Balde.

Project funds will be used for the purchase of materials, including cement, pulleys, and bleach. The village will pay for the labor of the mason.

The communities will provide sand, rocks, water and transportation of materials to the various sites. The materials will be purchased in Dabo by the PCV and the community counterpart.

Following construction, all wells will be sanitized with bleach and communities will be given short lessons on the importance of good sanitation and hygiene practices, including continual well bleaching and hand washing with soap.

Within the next year, the community will raise money for the purchase and installation of wooden covers for each of the four wells.

Project Impact
150 people will benefit from the project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Sharon Forstbauer

Comments
This is a high-impact project that will greatly improve the existing infrastructure and have a significant public health impact. Installation of well heads and well covers will greatly decrease the risks of physical injury and disease due to contamination.

Dollar Amount of Project
$350.00

Donations Collected to Date
$10.00

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
$340.00

Community Description
Semenivka is a Regional Center in Poltava Oblast situated in central Ukraine with a population of about 8,000. The region is generally an area of agricultural production, focusing on sugar beets and meat processing plants.

There are 2 schools in Semenivka proper with many smaller outlying schools in villages and towns.

1st school in Semenivka uses water every day for cooking meals. A report from the Regional Sanitary Epidemiological Station, which monitors water in the region, has designated the iron and bacteria levels in the school water to be unsafe for drinking.

As of now the school must boil all of its water to eliminate the bacteria. However, that process does not remove excess iron.

Project Description
This project is to purchase and install a water filter in the kitchen of the school cafeteria.

An OC-2 /OC-2H water filter will be purchased from Ukrainian Filter System at the regional center, located about 80 kilometers from the Semenivka. All necessary piping and connectors will be purchased at a local hardware store.

The filter uses the method of reverse osmosis with a five-level filter. Substances such as magnesium, mercury, nitrate, nitrite, strontium, arsenic, cyanide, asbestos, fluoride, lead, sulfates, iron, chlorine, as well as radionuclides, all bacteria and viruses, are all filtered and removed from the water.

Project funds will be used to purchase a OC-2 /OC-2H water filter and connecting pipes.

The community will install the water filter at no cost, using their own tools, and will maintain and repair the water filter when necessary in the future.

Project Impact
500 children and about 30 staff members of 1st School will benefit from the project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Chris Hagel - Ukraine

Comments
The children and staff will benefit from clean drinking water from the cafeteria because the incidence of waterborne illnesses due to bacteria, and the adverse effects of heavy metals and other pollutants, will be reduced.

Dollar Amount of Project
$400.00

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
$400.00

Community Description
Kirovograd, on the Inhul River, is an oblast capital city, located in the center of Ukraine.

The Kirovograd Regional Universal Research Library Named After Chizhevsky is the largest library in the oblast and hosts a Window on America Center, Bibliomist computer lab, and center for people with visual disabilities. It also offers a legal advice clinic, non-profit for women who are victims of trafficking, European integration center, and many other sources of information for the community.

However, the building has no hot water. The lack of hot water, not only for the 120 people who are on staff at the library but also for the 174,000 people who are library patrons, is a cause of concern for a number of reasons. People are unable to wash their hands with hot water after using the restrooms, staff is unable to use hot water to wash dishes and the library must use cold water for sanitary purposes. This impacts not only the library staff but also all of the people who visit the library.

The library is a government organization with no extra funds for improvement of the facilities.

Project Description
This project is to purchase and install two hot water heaters (boilers) for use at the library.

The boilers to be use are "Aston Waterway VM80 N4L". Each has a capacity of 80 liters and a five-year warranty. One boiler is to be installed in the kitchen on the third floor of the library. This boiler can be used by staff for washing dishes and obtaining hot water for cleaning the library.

The second boiler is to be installed in the public women's room, and will have plumbing so the hot water will also be available in the men's room (which shares a wall with the women's room).

The library will educate the community on the importance and benefits of using hot water for sanitation.

Project Impact
All 120 of the Library's employees and up to 174,000 annual patrons will benefit from this project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Karin Jones

Comments
Karin previously completed the Internat School Water Project – Ukraine.

The project will allow for the practice of better sanitation procedures, thus improving the health and wellbeing of the community.

Dollar Amount of Project
$400.00

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
$400.00

Community Description
Canton Xetacabaj is a small rural community of approximately 500 inhabitants of Mayan descent, located outside the municipality of San Cristobal Totonicapan, 185 kilometers from Guatemala City by way of the Inter-American Highway. Most community members are either farmers or business owners. All of the members speak K’iche, the Mayan language of the region, and/or Spanish.

The school Escuela Oficial Rural Mixta “Lazaro Chiguil Elias”, Canton Xetacabaj, serves 178 children, from Kindergarten to 6th grade. The school’s extremely dedicated principal of 27 years has been involved in the Healthy Schools program since 1999 and quickly led the school to healthy certification by 2001.

All 7 teachers give at least one health lesson a week. Each class has a health corner equipped with the utensils needed to practice healthy habits, a daily review of personal hygiene, and a system in place for the students to wash their hands before eating the school snack and brush their teeth after.

The school has encountered a number of problems with the existing handwashing station. Only 5 out of 7 faucets currently function. The base and drainage were not well-constructed, so water backs up from the one small drainage pipe and leaks below the base, causing the deterioration of the surrounding cement.

Ideally, there should be one functioning faucet for every class, but due to the increase in the number of students over the years, they are in need of at least 2 more faucets for the effective practice of healthy habits. The number of children served has grown from 31 in 1974 to 178 in 2011, and this number is sure to continue increasing.

The school has access to water most of the time due to their use of a natural spring and mechanical pump. However, they have had some problems in the past due to a supply shortage from the spring.

The school is equipped with flush toilets that drain into a septic tank, and the handwashing station water drains into a seepage pit. All the main tubes are located on school property.

Project Description
This project is to construct a handwashing station with 5 faucets, and to fully reconstruct the base and drainage of the existing handwashing station.

There is enough space in the area to the right of the existing handwashing station to construct an additional wall-style section with 5 more faucets. The new base will be one large cement structure, reinforced with iron rods, and placed against the wall connecting the kitchen to the bathroom area. The drainage will be connected to the existing tubes already in place.

The needed materials include cement and iron bars for the main structure, as well as a variety of PVC pipes, faucets, wire, gravel, tiles, nails, glue, paint, and other accessories. All of the materials will be purchased from a large hardware store outside the community.

A knowledgeable, experienced mason will be hired as the skilled labor and paid by the parent committee. Parents of the students will provide the unskilled labor free of charge in order to help construct the handwashing station.

Project funds will be used to purchase and transport the construction materials.

Project Impact
178 students and 7 teachers will benefit from the project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Lauren Browne

Comments
This project will add capacity to serve a growth in the student population and ensure that all the students are practicing the habits needed to maintain a high level of personal hygiene and reduce the incidence of illness.

Lauren previously successfully completed the Escuela Oficial Urban Mixta La Cienaga Handwashing Station – Guatelmala.

Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00

Donations Collected to Date
$230.00

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