Ukraine

Community Description
Vilkovo is a small town at the very southern tip of the Odessa Oblast near the tributary of the Danube River and the Black Sea. It has a population of about 9,000 spread out in the delta of the Danube River at its tributary with the Black Sea.

Vilkovo's economy is based on the shipping industry. Many men from the town work on cargo ships and on fishing. Vilkovo has a small business district in its downtown area that is host to several small shops and an open air market.

The First School of Vilkovo is located right in the middle of the business district. The school is home to about 300 students, ages 7-17, and 25 teachers.

The students and staff currently use a pit toilet adjacent to the playground. The toilet also serves patrons of the business district. This creates more traffic than the facility was built to accommodate, is a public health hazard, and is likely a source of sickness that puts many students out of school every winter.

Project Description
This project is the addition of a toilet facility and handwashing station to a planned extension of the First School of Vilkovo.

An addition has been planned for the school, to be built in the summer of 2012. The addition will be funded by the local school administration. The project is the addition of a plumbed toilet facility to the school’s new extension.

This toilet facility will consist of separate male and female bathrooms. There will be 4 toilets and 2 sinks in each. Water will come from the city water line and sewage waste will go to an underground septic tank, maintained by a local septic pumping company.

The facility will be open to the public at certain hours on a pay per use basis. This will supply the school with additional funding to cover the costs of the toilets and septic tank maintenance.

The project will be constructed by a local construction company that has worked with the local school administration in the past.

The toilet facility will be funded through a partnership program grant with the Peace Corps and funds from Water Charity.

The local community of Vilkovo will be contributing 50 percent of the total cost.

Project Impact
Approximately 2,500-3,000 individuals will use this toilet on an annual basis.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Jeffrey Ball

Comments
This project brings together massive community and school support with funding organizations brought in to provide assistance to create a necessary and substantial sanitary facility for the school.

Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00

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
$555.00

Community Description
Sokal is a town of approximately 22,000, located on the banks of the Bug River in the Lviv Oblast of western Ukraine.

The Sokal District Association for the Disabled is a local nonprofit organization which has office space which includes a physical rehabilitation center and space for trainings and workshops. The mission of the organization is to unite the district’s special needs population, helping them in different aspects of their lives, and maximizing their integration into the community.

The main activities of the Association are to promote the rights of the local special needs population, to lobby for better social programs, and to include the special needs population as part of society. The Association regularly organizes activities for community members such as concerts, festivals, and sport competitions.

Since the most recent restroom remodel in 2006, piping in the ceiling above the organization's restroom has begun to deteriorate at an alarming rate. As a result, the restroom ceiling has suffered extensive water damage and the restroom regularly floods.

An additional problem is that the pipes extend over a storage area where donations, such as wheelchairs and crutches, are stored.

Project Description
This project is to repair the piping system that supplies water to the restroom and storage area of the organization.

Project funds will cover the costs of new materials needed to replace the disintegrating system and for payment to locally skilled technicians.

Materials for cosmetic repairs to the water-damaged areas will be covered with any additional funds, with the labor for such work donated by members of the community.

Project Impact
This project will benefit the 25-30 community members who regularly use this space. In addition, approximately 325 community members who attend special events serving the larger community each year will benefit from the project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Emily Watson

Comments
This project will create safe and sanitary conditions at the facility. It will enable the organization to continue to deliver high quality services to the community. Emily previously successfully completed the Zabuzhya Library & Youth Center Bathroom Project – Ukraine and the Creative House for Children Bathroom Project - Ukraine .

Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00

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
$555.00

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
The community of Dorobratovo is a small village located to the west of the Carpathian Mountains in Ukraine with a population of approximately 2,300 people. Dorobratovo received central heating, electricity, and central plumbing only 20 years ago.

The Dorobratovo Secondary School (grades 1-11) has approximately 264 students and 51 teachers and staff members.

In March 2011, three separate indoor bathroom facilities were installed within the school. Before that, students and faculty had access only to a 2-stalled outhouse during school hours. At all times of year, even in below-freezing temperatures in winter, a 50-meter walk across the schoolyard was necessary to access the outdoor bathroom facilities. With the present bathrooms installed inside the school, a healthier and more sanitary option has been made available to all students and staff.

However, the current water storage system is not adequately sized to support all three bathroom facilities. An improved and enlarged water storage system is needed to allow for a complete use of these facilities.

The school has had some form of water storage system in existence since 2001, when a 5-ton water tank made of iron was first installed. Throughout the years, this original tank has rusted and eventually was deemed unsanitary, and is no longer in use.

In 2007, a 2-ton plastic water tank was installed to better support the school’s water system. Today, the plastic water tank is still in use but is not large enough to support the three new bathroom facilities for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.

Only one bathroom facility is currently open with the existing water tank, and is considered a “faculty only” bathroom.

Project Description
This project is to purchase and install a second 2-ton water tank, including piping to connect the two tanks together. This will allow for a more efficient system of water storage to support all three bathroom facilities.

The present water storage tank is installed in the attic of the school. This is where the second water tank will be installed as well. After researching with local plumbing-specialists, it has been decided that the two tanks will be connected and together will be able to support the amount of water needed for all bathrooms to function properly.

A 2-ton water tank, as well as a specialized connector to join the two tanks, will be purchased in the nearest city (approximately 20 km away) and brought to Dorobratovo by a community member’s moving-truck.

Local community members who specialize in plumbing then will volunteer their time and service to install the water tank and connector. After installation, use of the new water tank can begin immediately and allow for school-wide access to all three bathroom facilities.

Project Impact
315 community members, consisting of 264 students plus 51 faculty members and staff, will benefit from the project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Lauren Allbee

Comments
This project utilizes existing infrastructure and makes accessible all 3 bathroom facilities. This will have a dramatic effect on the health and wellbeing of the students and faculty.

Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00

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
$ 555.00