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Mafi-Zongo Water & Medical Project 2009

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Request 3 - 2009 - The Seva Clinic is requesting finance for rapid HIV tests. At the moment they have a medical doctor at the clinic and they need to implement the HIV prevention program.



Request 2 - 2009 - Mafi-Zongo Water Project: Financial help for Bulldozer work on the dam - for details open the three attached files.

Letter from the Project Manager:
I would like to follow up on our request for assistance for the Zongo dam, that I submitted to you on September 23rd. The details are very much the same. The fuel cost is down, and the bulldozer cost may be up slightly. But the amount needed is the same. We are trying to scrape together enough money to do this work before the heavy rains start. If rains are too much, the dam could be in danger.

The money for the valves was sent to the UK and all the details are ready. The money will be transferred to the company maybe today or tomorrow, and the valves will be shipped to Ghana by air. The total cost of the valves including shipping is £4,167.

Hope it works out, we really appreciate your help twice for the health education program in Burkina Faso, and hope that you will also find our project worthy of help for a second time.

Thanks for everything.

All the best
daneshananda



Request 1 - 2009: This is a request for $2,000 USD to purchase special valves for a filtration system that serves more than 9,000 people in the Zongo river area in Ghana, Africa. See the information supplied by the project manager below.
Updated: The Foundation has wired $1,000 to AMURT Ghana to purchase the valves for the filtration system. The rest of the money was provided by AMURT USA.
Here’s the summary of the needs for the new sand filter, and some details about the valves that we are trying to buy. The project currently benefits more than 9,000 people through 45 standpipes in 26 communities


ZONGO WATER PROJECT - Construction of new Roughing Filter

The Zongo Water Project’s water source is surface water harvested by building a dike on a seasonal river.
The water is then treated through slow sand filtration, before it is pumped to a reservoir on a hill. From this hill, the water flows by gravity to the communities.

For the slow sand filtration to work effectively, the water needs to be of low turbidity, less than 10 NTU. During the rainy season, the quality of the raw water deteriorates more than the original design anticipated. Our pre-treatment filter, (also called roughing filter) turns out to be too small to adequately treat the raw water and reduce the turbidity during the rainy season. This causes reduced water quality and clogging of the sand filter as silt enters the sand filters.

AMURT contacted EWB in 2005, and on their second visit in 2006, they identified the problem and started working on a new design that would solve the filtration problems of the project.

After delays caused by difficulties in raising funds and changes in the design, the construction of the new roughing filter started in January this year. The construction is now in full swing, and we hope to complete the construction in March and make the new filters operational by April, before the heavy rains start in May.

The new filter is eight times the size than the old filters. The design is horizontal, while the old ones are vertical or up-flow filters.

Currently two engineers from Engineers Without Borders are on site overseeing the construction. Another team will come in Mid-March to oversee the final installations.

The total cost of the project is about 50,000 USD. Forty thousand has been raised by the EWB and Rotary Chapter in Tucson, Arizona. The rest is funded by AMURT with help from Lanesra Foundation and other donors.

The design calls for a special type of valves – 12 inch Knife Gate Valves, or sliding gate valves. Each of the six chambers in the filter, will have one valve that is used for hydraulic flushing of the filter media. The filter employs graded pebbles, which trap the silt and larger dirt particles, and in this way reduces the water turbidity for the slow sand filtration.

It is AMURT’s responsibility to buy the knife gate valves. They are not available in Ghana and West Africa. We have only found the right model available in the US. The original supplier we had found did not work out, and the only supplier we have now has made the valves much more expensive.

The cost is USD 987.50 per valve, making altogether USD 5,925. In addition comes the shipping of the valves to Africa. We are trying to ship by air.
The ocean freight is 1,100. we still have not finalized the air shipping. It will be a bit more than ocean freight. The EWB has accelerated the construction schedule, so we need to look into air-freight.

We currently have about USD 5,550 available in the AMURT account in Washington DC for the purchase and shipping of the valves. We need maybe as much USD 2,000 more. So, if you can contribute for this, it would be a great help.

In April, we would like to do bulldozer work for the dam, I think I sent you the information about this last year in October or November.

Thanks for your kind consideration
Daneshananda

The Akwakwaa Clinic in Ghana

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Update: the water tank has been installed in June 2008 with funds from the Foundation. Thanks to all those who contributed to the success of this "Micro-donation" project.
This is a request for 1,500 USD to install a water tank, and pipes to provide running water to the Akwakwaa Clinic, in Ghana. The amount of $1,000 has been secured and given to the clinic. It was enough to purchase the water tank and install it but not for the rest of the installation. Therefore at the moment the clinic has water but needs another 500 USD to complete the installations so as to have running water inside the building.
The clinic serves about 200 patients a month. It provides primary health care and has a maternity ward that does from 5 to 10 deliveries a month. The clinic also trains health workers from nearby communities to work in local clinics. The project was started in the year 2000 and has been growing year by year.
The clinic is self-sufficient from patient fees but it needs support for capital improvements.

For more details of the project click here.

Mafi-Zongo Water Project, Ghana

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Project Name: *
Mafi-Zongo Water Project AMURT Ghana

Project Address: *
AMURT PO BOX 328, Mamprobi, Accra, GHANA

Project Description: *
The project provides safe piped water to a population of 9,000 to 23 communities through a pipeline network that is 48 kilometers long. It is located in remote villages in North Tongu Distric, Volta region. The project harvests surface water in a small dam built on a seasonal river. The water is treated by slow sand filtration. The water is the pumped to a reservoir on the top of a mountain, from where the water flows by gravity to the communities.

Project History: *
AMURT was first invited to the North Tongu District in 1990 to help fight guinea worm. By 1993 AMURT stared working on the Mafi-Dekpoe water project.(this project is a partnership with Danida, it was completed in 1998). In 1994 we were invited to Mafi-Zongo to assist a group of communities there. The dam was constructed in 1994. The water treatment plant finished in 2001, the water tower was completed in 2003. With funding from Italy, the project opened in 2005 for 10 communities, and was expanded to 23 communities in 2006.

Project Mission: *
To assist the communities in the area to get safe water through a sutainable community owned and community managed project.

Financial Budget: *
As the project is finished, AMURT is currently assisting to improve the facilities. The request for support is for pipeline markers to secure the pipelines.

Financial sources: *
The main funding has come from AMURT Italy and Amici Nel Mondo, Italy, and other private donations.

Fund transfer modalities: *
Wire to AMURT bank account in Ghana, account details on the web-page. Funds can also be sent via AMURT USA in Washington DC.

Wish list:
Presently we are seeking a small grant to create pipeline markers. To mark the whole line will take close to 3,000 USD, as we have been told that the limit of the small grant application is 1,000 USD, we are applying for that amount to mark the most critical areas.
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Request:
We seek US $1,000 to make pipeline markers for the pvc pipeline. We need more than 300 markers, US $1,000 will give 116 markers. We will install them on the pipeline through communal labor. The pipe line markers are cast in concrete with iron bars. They are 3 feet high and 7 x 7 inches square. They will be painted blue to be very visible. Let me know if you need the details of the manufacturing cost.

Contact Person: *
Daniel Haven
Telephone: *
+233-21-666746
Email Address: *
daneshananda at gmail.com
Web Site:
www.amurt.net/africa/ghana

Community Center in Barlovento, Venezuela

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HISTORY

AMURT/EL became active in Venezuela in December 1999 after heavy rains caused landslides and floods. With the help of AMURT Switzerland, it started to work with the flood victims of Barlovento, a region in the state of Miranda about 2 hours east of Caracas, distributing drinking water, food and medicines. Observing the chronic poverty of the people in this area, AMURT/EL decided to open with a long-term project. It acquired three and a half (3 ½) hectares of land and built a community center from which to serve the impoverished rural villagers in the surrounding area.

OBJECTIVE OF THE AMURT/EL CENTER IN BARLOVENTO

The purpose of the AMURT/EL center is to be a center for both individual and community transformation. It does this by supporting and empowering the local population in community development and personal growth projects. These projects focus on income-generation, education, and cultural and social enrichment.

THE PROBLEM /THE LOCAL SITUATION

Barlovento is populated by Venezuelans whose ancestors were brought from Africa as slaves for the cacao plantations. Due to centuries of discrimination and government neglect, the people have little education, low self-esteem and few job opportunities. The majority feel helpless to improve their living conditions. As a result, alcoholism, drug abuse, domestic violence and crime are widespread.

WORK DONE

Some of the work done:

In the early 2000, AMURTEL distributed drinking water, food, clothing, stoves, mattresses and seeds to flood victims in about 20 villages. Medical camps were also organized.
AMURTEL has developed relationships of trust with the children, teenagers and adults of five villages by organizing bi-annual celebrations in each community for Christmas and Children's Day with theater, games and cultural activities.
"Youth in Action" sports and cultural programs have been developed for teenagers.
Financial and material support have been provided to teenagers and young adults who dropped out of school to continue their education.
Educational programs for children and youth during their vacations were organized.
Cooking and food processing workshops were taught.
A sewing cooperative of five women was organized in the center with industrial sewing machines.
An apiary was started with 20 beehives.

A story-reading project is quickly growing. The AMURTEL library lends books to mothers and fathers who read them aloud daily to their young children.
Funding was arranged to teach a group of teenagers and young adults from the village of La Guairita how to construct and play their own traditional African drums.
The AMURT/EL Community Center provided temporary shelter for a week to 40 women and children who were victims of the flood of February 2005 which also affected the Center.

PRESENT PROJECTS FOR WHICH FINANCING IS NEEDED

The story reading program: On a regular base the Center lends children’s books to the parents of La Guairita and Madre Vieja to read to their young children. The purpose is to stimulate reading and writing, teach values and to create positive attention activities between parents and their children
Finances are needed for good parenting workshops for the parents, to buy good children story books and other related materials and to pay a full time intern to expand to other villages.

Personal growth programs for teenagers and adults: This program is to help people realize that, in spite of adverse and sometimes traumatic circumstances in their lives, caused by poverty, violence and discrimination, they have the power to transform themselves and learn to use their full potential. We envision personal and group counseling, conflict resolution, retreats for youth that include yoga and meditation, leadership training, and practical life skills.
Finances are needed for transportation, organizing retreats and outings, and workshops, and to finance the gestalt training course to qualify the director of the Center in counseling skills.

High school diploma course: The center pays the tuition fees of three young mothers who want to finish their high school diploma but do not have access to government programs. Ten more young mothers are on the waiting list.
Finances are needed to pay their fees.

Support for students: We will continue to encourage students in the local schools by donating school supplies, lending textbooks, and advising and assisting the teachers.
Finances are needed to pay for a yearly donation of school supplies to 350 primary school students and 150 highschool students and to buy highschool textbooks and resource books for the AMURTEL library.

Village festivals: Twice a year, in June and December, we organize a cultural and educational program for each community. These are important outreach programs between the center and the villages. We bring university theater groups, clowns, musicians and international volunteers to enrich the lives of the people and strengthen their sense of solidarity. A total of 450 children benefit each time.
Finances are needed to buy materials for the festivals to organize dramas and handicrafts and to pay for transportation of theatre groups.

Tourist Stop: Last year we registered a natural products business called “Vita Lotus” to financially support the center. During weekends, many tourists from Caracas drive on the road in front of our land on their way to the beach. Our plan will be to set up a tourist stop. At the moment we are selling in different places honey from our own beehives (more than 400 kilo per year), medicinal noni juice, dried neem leaves, and fresh produce including papaya, lemon and vegetables. We will also sell products from different cooperatives in the area. In this way we can support cooperatives and other money-making initiatives of the local people.
Finances are needed to develop the land for organic agriculture, to build a tourist stop with a safe parking area and to develop the business.

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