Wrapping Up in Village

horsepower: one

Here I am, two years away from the day I left the states and only ten weeks left until I’ll find myself stateside once more. In this, my penultimate blog post, I’d like to talk about the ultimate big project going on in my village and humbly ask for financial help from you all, the perennial statesiders. During my first 18 months of service I completed projects that I was personally interested in alongside projects Peace Corps Senegal encouraged me to pursue. This last project, though, was for my village – a tangible thank you for all the extraordinary things they’ve done for me. 

work time / nap time

It’s a project that I can’t in good conscience call my own. While I provided some materials, organization skills, and motivation to (sort of) follow a timetable, all the credit goes to my host father and my health worker counterpart. These two men inspired the project, motivated the community, handled all the details, and did a fair amount of hands-on manual labor. Before I get carried away discussing my respect for my work partners and my love for my village, let me tell you what the project was all about: poop.

bricks for days!

In 2010 the World Health Organization estimated that 15% of the world’s population practices open defecation – more than one in ten people! Open defecation is just what it sounds like – pooping in the open rather than into a covered and contained hole (or something fancy that flushes). In my village, open defecation means men, women, and children walking into the bush (aka fields) to poop. Not only is this an activity that causes embarrassment, it leads to all manner of sanitation concerns; for example, the increase of instances of diarrheal disease, which is unpleasant for all and fatal for some. What’s the solution to open defecation? Latrine construction!

my host dad surveyes the progress

First step: town meeting. In November we gathered the heads of all 30 households and held a lottery to choose the 10 houses that would participate. Second step: grant. I submitted a grant to Peace Corps and the wonderful organization Water Charity funded it almost immediately! Third step: materials. We tied up our horse drawn carts and went to town to gather cement and rebar. Fourth step: hard, hard work. Many men dug their 2m x 2m x 2m holes by themselves in the span of one day. Next bricks were made, dried, and then cemented into place below ground. Finally covers were constructed with handy footrests. Throw up a millet stalk fence for privacy and you’re done!

Eight of the ten latrines are now done and it’s been amazing to see what my community can do. Typically grants require a 25% community contribution, but this one was split 50/50. While your donations will retroactively pay for cement, rebar, and brick making labor, the people of the village provided sand, gravel, masonry labor, and hole digging. It’s been really fun to collaborate with people willing to work so hard and give so much. If you’ve got the giving fever, feel free to donate here. When a 50 kilo bag of cement only costs $5, any amount truly helps.

A big thank you from myself and the people of Ngar Gueye!

fresh goat prints in the cement!