Location
Pakali Ba, Jarra East, Lower River Region, The Gambia
Community Description
Pakali Ba is home to an expanding school that currently enrolls students in nursery school through grade 9, with construction in progress for grades 10 through 12. The students come on foot and by bike from Pakali Ba and other surrounding villages.
The hand pump, original to Pakali Ba Basic Cycle School and the oldest in the community, needs to be repaired. The concrete slab holding the pump has sunk in, allowing water to flow back in once it has been pumped out.
The pump is built within the Lower Basic School grounds, but the village relies on the pump when the solar-powered taps are not working properly. The school pump is crucial to the school day for the students’ drinking water, cleanliness, and also to water their school garden. The school garden is maintained by the students to raise money for the school and also to supplement the students’ nutrition, but has perished due to lack of water.
Project Description
This project is to repair the pump at Pakali Ba Basic Cycle School.
Under the direction of the Village Development Committee, all non-working parts will be replaced, and the concrete slab will be repaired.
Mr. Jobarteh, an aging technician from a neighboring village, with the help of the upper basic’s grade 9 boys, was able to disassemble and completely diagnose the problem and determine the materials needed.
Project funds will pay for the replacement of metal pipes, a proper metal pedestal for the pump, cement, sand and gravel for the slab, as well as miscellaneous parts and materials, and necessary labor.
The community will pay the additional amounts if the repairs are over budget.
Project Impact
550 students at the school plus 800 villagers will benefit from the project. Future beneficiaries will be students from the 3 new grades, 10, 11, and 12, being added with the construction of new classrooms.
Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Julie Dunn
Comments
This is a critical project for the school and for the village. It will have a widespread impact on the health and wellbeing of all who depend on the well for their daily needs.
Dollar Amount of Project
$450.00
Donations Collected to Date
$450.00
Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 – This project has now been fully funded through the generosity Tim Cynova, of New York, NY, USA, with the help of friends and family of Peace Corps Volunteer Julie Dunn.
We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Julie of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Julie and/or those of other PCVs in the country.
This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.