Changing Tact
One of our biggest challenges in getting our 'One Brick at a Time' project to a point where we can begin work is in establishing a direct, reliable and sustainable water source.
Well pumps and reliable water sources
In 2011 we funded the installation of a new pump and well in Bergnek. With the help of the City of Polokwane we have been able to maintain that pump and keep the water flowing enough to support only the basic needs of the community. Last year we were able to get a second pump installed too.
Unfortunately this year we had a breakdown in the equipment and the person supporting the maintenance of the pumps was not able to repair it and the city could not commit to costs for the new parts needed. We have since stepped in and provided the funding for the parts to restore the pump, however the community had gone without water for nearly two months before we where made aware of the problem. This has forced us to find other solutions as the volume of water is now only back at the basic needs level.
Partnering for success
Over the past few months we've been in discussions with a number of other organizations, including Engineers Without Borders, to find the partners we need to fund the much needed infrastructure needed for this project to ultimately be successful. Negotiations are going well and we are almost at the point where we have a commitment to fund the purchase of a much larger well pump as well as the solar power to keep the pump running sustainably going forward. We will publish an update as soon as we have a firm commitment from Engineers without Borders, who have now had representatives visited the community.
We need your help
We are grateful for your continued support. This is an important project for the community to build housing, a medical centre and provided much needed employment. Please support the project in any way you can. Think about joining us on one of project trips as part of our Eco-Travel initiative. Visit our website for more information about the Eco-Travel and we will also give you more information on how you can make a portion of your trip costs a deduction by contributing through the GlobalGiving project.
Thank you for all you do.
Links:
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can recieve an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
