Location
Town of Ronkh, Communaute Rurale of Ronkh, Department of Dagana, Region of Saint Louis, Senegal
Community Description
The town of Ronkh is situated in the northwest corner of Senegal, on the border of Mauritania. Ronkh is 25 kilometers off the Route Nationale and 100 kilometers from the regional capital, Saint Louis. It is the administrative capital of its district and is home to 5,000 inhabitants, a poste de sante, two elementary schools, and a middle school. Its proximity to the Senegal River allows for year-round irrigation, and rice farming is the primary income and food source of the inhabitants.
Ronkh’s newer primary school, Ecole 2, was opened in 2000 to accommodate the expanding town’s needs. With six classes, the school currently serves approximately 300 students, 6 teachers, and a principal.
Ecole 2 lacks the foreign partnerships of Ronkh’s other two schools. As such, the principal has undertaken a great personal endeavor to
ensure his school is equipped with the required materials and infrastructure. Thanks to his efforts, the school has projects either currently underway or scheduled to begin this winter that include providing the classrooms with electricity, latrine construction, and the construction and stocking of a new room to serve as a library.
Not included in the current development program, however, is access to running water. A survey conducted in spring 2010 found that of the 257 students surveyed 39% had experienced diarrhea in the past week and that 31% either did not wash their hands after relieving themselves or rinsed their hands with water only.
Project Description
This project is to provide running water for the school and to build a handwashing station next to the school’s latrines.
The town’s plumber will extend the nearest existing water pipeline by approximately 150 meters. He will then construct an outdoor handwashing station, consisting of 3 robinets, which will be encased in bricks to ensure longevity.
The robinets will empty into a cement pool that will drain into the latrines’ septic tank. PVC piping, robinet hardware, and labor to dig the trenches for the pipeline will be bought with Appropriate Projects funding, while the bricks and labor needed to construct the handwashing station will be provided as an in-kind community contribution.
Following the handwashing station’s completion, the PCV and local health workers will sensitize the students on the importance of washing one’s hands with soap at critical times, using antibacterial soap provided by the school. A follow-up survey will be conducted several months down the road to determine the effectiveness of such sensitization.
Project Impact
307 people will benefit from the project.
Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Sarah Kopper
Comments
Running water at the school will provide significant health benefits, including the reduction of the incidence of gastrointestinal illness due to improper hygiene.
Sarah previously completed the Ronkh Water Project – Senegal.
Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00
Donations Collected to Date
$555.00
Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 – This project has now been fully funded through the generosity of The Andando Foundation.
We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Volunteer Sarah Kopper of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Sarah and/or those of other PCVs in the country.
This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.