Bringing Water to La Finca
Project Launch: 2-8-13
The closest water source to the village of La Finca in the remote Bahoruco province of the Dominican Republic is more than 1.5 km away. The road leading up to the water source is rocky and dangerous, and a typical round trip on foot yields only about 3 gallons of water. As in many parts of the world, the difficult task of collecting sufficient water every day falls upon women and, particularly, young girls.
Project Update
World Connect's original partnership with the village of La Finca was designed around the installation of a gravity forced water system, which would bring water down from the water source to five communal tap stands placed throughout the community. After examining further the feasibility of installing this system, and studying the water source, local leaders determined that the water source was not producing significant enough water to supply the village's 30 households.
World Connect is committed to supporting local leadership and recognizes that the best problem solvers in developing world communities are local leaders themselves. In the case of La Finca, local leaders explored a number of options for ensuring water access in the village after the original idea proved unsustainable. They were able to identify a secondary water source, at a lower elevation, which was producing significantly higher volume of water. Working with their local Peace Corps Volunteer, Rodolfo, and with World Connect, the project was redesigned around this secondary source. Funds, originally intended for the gravity forced water system, were reallocated towards purchasing a pump capable of bringing water up to La Finca. Additionally, when local families were informed about the new design and its potential, they expressed a preference for having tap stands installed in each of the village's 30 households as opposed to sharing five communal tap stands. Each family agreed to pay a monthly fee for their tap stand and water access. Funds are being saved for future equipment and repairs on the system, and are also being used to pay a local plumber who has been trained to maintain the system.
The ability to be nimble in project design and implementation is a valuable feature of World Connect's project management. In the case of La Finca, it allowed for the installation of a community-owned and managed system that ensures water access for the village, improving community health and relieving women and young girls from the daily and dangerous task of transporting water.
Testimonials
“We have to invest in today so that our children can have a better future and not have to face the same problems as we did. We are doing this [water project] so that they can go to school and live healthier. Water is life and water is health.” – Maxima, Project Beneficiary
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