The Gambia

Community Description
Medina Serign Mass is located in the North Bank region of The Gambia. It is a rural farming community of approximately 2,000 people. It is the home village of the Grand Imam of The Gambia, and is host to many large religious ceremonies every year.

The community is home to a basic cycle school (grades 1-8) and also the Medina Serign Mass Health Center.

The health center has its own well. However, the existing pit latrine in the compound has large cracks and is unsafe to use.

Project Description
This project is to build a public composting toilet inside the Health Center compound.

The design is for a two-chamber above-ground composting toilet. The enclosure built on top of the chambers will be of cement block, with a timber and tin roof.

The chambers below will be 60 cm deep and extend 3 m behind the enclosures. Each chamber will each have an access cover at the back, and a cover to accept waste.

Each chamber will be lined with millet stalks and/or grasses (depending on the season) and will be fitted with a drain pipe to drain excess moisture. Vent pipes will draw air for oxygenation of the compost.

Ashes, collected from neighboring compounds and stored in each enclosure, will be added to the compost pile each time waste is added. When the pile begins to compost, it will be raked toward the back of the chamber to make room for new additions.

The compost produced will be used for the garden on the health center grounds.

Project funds will be used to purchase construction materials, including cement, corrugated tin, timbers, sand, gravel, and rebar.

The Medina Serign Mass Health Center Committee will be in charge of construction and the resident caretaker will be in charge of maintenance.

A senior member of the committee (who is also the village development committee chair) has experience with construction of many types of toilets, including the planned composting toilet.

Project Impact
All 2,000 residents of Medina Serign Mass will benefit from the set of composting latrines.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
James Blaine Byers

Comments
This is a high-impact low-cost solution for a critical need, toilet facilities for a health center visited by every member of the community. The composting design is not only environmentally sound, but produces the usable byproduct of fertilizer for the garden.

Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00

Donations Collected to Date
$350.00

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
$205.00

Community Description
Ker Njugarey is a small community of 45 compounds combining to reach a population of around 850 people. It is located in the Jokadou District of the North Bank Region of The Gambia. The village is a multi-ethnic community consisting of mainly Fulas, but also containing a few Wolof compounds.

The primary source of income is the farming of coos, ground nuts and maize. However, there are also some entrepreneurs and skilled laborers, such as bitik owners, vendors, carpenters, masons and tailors.

Situated 8-10 kilometers north of the main highway system on the Senegalese border, and only reachable by a pothole-marked and dusty road, this highly rural village is incredibly reliant on the existing wells and pumps (in poor working order) that currently supply the people with their water.

The village is filled with many hardworking and industrious people, but they are currently being failed by their government in that they have not been provided with a constant and reliable source of sanitary water.

Project Description
This project is to restore an existing hand pump well to reliable and working order.

After years of patch jobs and quick fixes the hand pump is in very bad working order, constantly needing maintenance and attention. With the money properly allocated, the village will be able to overhaul and replace many of the crucial parts that, as of today, are well past their date of validity, and thus falling apart from years of work.

The project is being implemented under the direction of the Ker Njugarey Village Development Committee. A pump parts supplier is holding the parts needed for the project, and the repair man and day laborers are standing by ready to start.

Project Impact
850 people will benefit from the project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Wells Brown

Comments
This project will assist the village to obtain a constant source of clean and sanitary drinking water.

Wells previously successfully completed the Medina Njama Pump Repair Project – The Gambia and the Ker Njugarey Pump Repair Project – The Gambia.

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

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

Community Description
The community of Jamally Ganyado is a rural community located on the north bank in the Central River Region of the Gambia about 5 kilometers from Janjanbury. The village is mostly made up of people from the Fula tribe.

Thirty four families, about 1,000 people, live here and survive by growing most of their own food. Families grow coos, groundnuts, and corn. The community has a large women's group that makes handcrafts, soaps, and gardens.

The community has no electricity and gets its water from three hand pumps distributed around the village. These pumps were installed in 1993 and frequently break down. When a pump breaks, the line at the other pumps grows longer. On average, only one pump is working at any one time in the village, making the wait for water anywhere from an hour to three hours. This drastically cuts into time the women have for other chores and their families.

The community does its best to repair the pumps when they break. Every family contributes money to replace broken parts to fix the pumps. However since the pumps are so old, replacing one part at a time does not fix the pump for long. The interaction of the old parts with a new quickly causes the new part to break down and fail.

In the last few months the community has repaired one hand pump or another seven times. There have been a few days where all pumps were broken and the community was left without water.

Project Description
This project is to completely repair one of hand pumps in the village.

The one that is currently in the worst state of repair has been chosen for a complete repair with all new parts. Once repaired, the pump will function like new and should not need to be repaired for at least three years.

The project with be overseen by Dowda Inji a member of the Village Development Committee. The repair will be completed by the pump repair man from a village next to Jamally Ganyado. He will be assisted by men from the community.

Funds that may remain after the repair will be used to purchase parts needed for the repair of the other two pumps.

The village has shown its commitment to providing clean water for its families by continually contributing money to repair their pumps. Families will continue to contribute to a fund for future pump repairs.

Project Impact
1,000 people will benefit from the project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Stephanie Starch

Comments
Because of economic factors, the community is faced with times when water is only sporadically available. While this project is not enough to ensure sustainability, it at least creates a time period when water will be regularly available, while at the same creates a breather for the community to build its reserves for future repairs.

Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00

Donations Collected to Date
$555.00

Dollar Amount Needed

$0.00 - This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of friends and family of Peace Corps Volunteer Stephanie Starch.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Stephanie of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Stephanie and/or those other PCVs in the country of service.

Community Description
Kerr Werko (Sotokoi) is a rural village located in the northern part of The Gambia, in the Upper Niumi District. Culturally, it is composed of many tribes, the Wolof, the Fulla, Mandinka, and Seerer. It is the home of about 350 people, whose livelihood depends on farming and livestock. Though the village is small, it is diverse and peaceful.

Obtaining enough water for survival is very difficult due to the location of Kerr Werko. The water table in the area is at a depth of 25 meters. The inhabitants of Kerr Werko rely on one hand pump for drinking water, and another which is used only for laundry and cleaning (the water from that one has a salty taste that deters the villagers from drinking it).

About two years ago, the people of Kerr Werko realized that the water from the pump for drinking had acquired an odd taste and smell. However, no one became sick, so they continued to drink it, not knowing the cause. Last month, the pump stopped producing water, leaving the community members to walk to the next village to fetch water from an uncovered well.

Upon inspection of the faulty well, they discovered that a tap root from a nearby tree had broken through several sections of the well's retaining wall. In time, the root had reached the bottom of the well, and sucked it dry.

Project Description
This project is to repair the well and restore it to full functionality to provide safe drinking water. The project will be carried out under the direction of the Kerr Werko (Sotokoi) Water Committee.

Project funds will be used to purchase 11 bags of cement, 9 rods of two sizes, binding wire, transport of these materials, and to pay for the services of a trained mason to make the appropriate repairs and extend the well.

In the past, the villagers have pooled their money to make minor repairs on the pump. However, after consulting the mechanic, they realized that the required maintenance is beyond their means.

Project Impact
The project will benefit about 350 people, including 225 children. In addition, guests and civil workers who visit the community will also benefit from the project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Mallory Pohlman

Comments
With the whole community of Kerr Werko relying so heavily on this one well, it is very important that the water supply be healthy and abundant. This simple project restores potable water to the village.

Mallory previously successfully completed the Kerr Ardo Well Repair Project – The Gambia.

Dollar Amount of Project
$525.00

Donations Collected to Date
$525.00

Needed

$0.00 - This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Volunteer Mallory Pohlman of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Mallory and/or those other PCVs in the country of service.

Community Description