|
|
Project Updates
In April 2010, David Barham, travelled to the village community of Tode & Mbailer in north western Senegal to oversee the installation of a water
pipe. This project was generously co-funded by Just A Drop, a specialist charity which undertakes water projects around the world.
Once in the field, it was necessary for the original scope of the project to be changed to provide a more flexible and cost effective solution
by breaking the project down into stages. This will enable the pipeline to be completed in modules, each of which will deliver a water supply
to the next dwelling(s) along the route of the pipeline.
The design and installation of Stage 1 has been completed although the water is still to be turned on. This work included the initial connection
to the recently laid government owned mains supply pipe which will start to supply water in September 2010. Also laid was a 500 metre run of pipe
and a stand pipe was erected in the first hamlet which will provide potable drinking water to the people who live there. Until now they have had
to travel 3 kilometres to reach the nearest potable water supply.
From the information available to us it was apparent that the landscape appears to have suffered significant climactic change in recent years.
The villagers reported that it was possible to grow vegetables locally in 1995. Nowadays the landscape is barren.
Harvesting water for farming may represent the most effective benefit that external assistance can currently bring the village. The water
supplied by the pipeline will be metered and will not be used for irrigation. For the village to survive in the future it will need to have
an effective water storage and irrigation system.
In addition to the water project the group which travelled to Senegal included Richard Dean who is privately funding the building of a small
school.
Marocaroundtheclock is currently deliberating its involvement with Phases 2 and 3 of the water project and also how it might further
enhance or assist the new school.
Updates will follow in due course.
|
