2008 Funded and Committed Project Report

System Enhancement Update
2008 was a major transition year for Blue Planet Run Foundation and for the Peer Water Exchange (PWX). Since we were attracting many organizations and even funders, we began to invest much time and energy into the PWX platform to enhance and stabilize it. Most of the results are visible for everyone to see: showcasing our partners, easy access through lists and the map to all partners, projects, and applications. The PWX map continues to be an outstanding example of social media innovation. Since each project funding application review connects people around the world, now those connections are shown on the map.

We rolled out a PWX blog and improved the search function to find information in all the different categories (applications, reviews, projects, reports, etc.). We improved our project management process and now allow the world to participate in the long-term impact assessment of projects. Anybody can visit our projects and upload a report, photos, and video – a new global volunteer corps!

Internally, we have made the PWX platform stronger, more flexible and more helpful for users. The stage is set now for PWX to serve all sectors of the water and sanitation community – we can now manage funds for more funding agencies and transparently manage the tens of thousands of projects needed to end the water crisis.

Membership Update
We doubled from 20 to 40 members in 2008! We had the pleasure of welcoming Agua Para la Salud in Guatemala and Ruvuma Mission to the Poor and Disabled from Tanzania to PWX. At the African Women and Water Conference in June 2008, we taught 30 grassroots implementers to use PWX. From the conference, we welcomed nine new implementers and three of the conference organizers into PWX. After an active round of interaction within these women’s groups, seven projects were funded in January 2009 – the first time another funder used PWX to fund projects as well as to manage them!

Organization
Country
People Impact
2008 Funding
Cumulative
Agua Par la Salud
Guatemala
2100
$26,884

$26,884
Blue Planet Run
USA
-
500$
$500
East Meets West
Vietnam
5,000
$12,500
$103,350
El Porvenir
Nicaragua
300
$24,153
$129,657
PADI
Tanzania
5,425
$23,227
$23,227
Project Well
India
750
$21,063
$51,087
Protos
Congo
550+
$8,200
$33,900
Safer Future
Sierra Leone
7,500
$28,874
$98,484
A Single Drop
Mozambique
400+
$6,000
$9,000
BPRF Total Grant
9
22,025+
$151,401
$1,260,115

 

Grant Summary
In this fifth year of networked grantmaking, PWX members continue to surprise us. Their collaboration and the level of knowledge sharing reinforce our thinking – that field expertise is valuable and needs to be channeled more effectively to manage water projects. The numbers above are a small part of the story, some of our smaller partners have grown in confidence and are now much more interactive, bigger ones have become mentors. The participation level is not reflected in the numbers; in fact, some of them participated in PWX but did not receive any grants.

Project Summaries

COUNTRY PWX PARTNER AMOUNT FUNDED PEOPLE IMPACTED
Guatemala Agua Para la Salud $26,884 2,100

Pulay Water System Augmentation
This project provided a gravity flow water system to Pulay village, consisting of the construction of a spring box, conduction line of 3.2 km, a 5 cubic meter storage tank and repairs of an existing storage tank. Health and hygiene promotion are an integral part of the  project and the implementer provides long-term technical support. The village collects fees to maintain their water system and wrote an agreement to participate in training and book keeping. [PWX report project A | project B]
USA Blue Planet Run $500 --

Rooftop rainwater harvesting on a barn
An experimental grant to showcase rainwater harvesting in Pennsylvania, USA. On a 54-acre Farm, a rooftop RWH system will be installed, replacing the current collapsing barn roof and creating several winterized storage tanks. Development activities threatening to reduce and contaminate groundwater have made this project more urgent. [PWX report]
Vietnam East Meets West $12,500   5,000 for sanitation

Sanitary latrine program for the Central Region of Viet Nam
BPRF continues to support EMW's hygiene and sanitation behavioral change program – in the International Year of Sanitation! With this project, 1,000 household latrines will be built, averaging a family size of five people. All community members will also get hygiene and sanitation behavioral change training. [PWX report]
Nicaragua El Porvenir $24,153 187 water, 121 sanitation

Water and Sanitation in El Bálsamo and Camaopa communities
In El Bálsamo community a small gravity flow water system and 29 latrines will be constructed. In Camaopa, 19 double pit latrines will be built in one community and one well will be rehabilitated in another. All beneficiaries will receive hygiene and sanitary education, training in long term maintenance of projects, and the opportunity to take part in reforestation of micro-watersheds in their communities.  [PWX report El Bálsamo | San Isidro | Calmidad]
Tanzania PADI $8,880 3,925

Provision of safe water to four villages in Tanzaniz
Ruvuma Mission to the Poor and Disabled (PADI) already completed this project provided safe water by constructing 34 improved traditional wells in 4 villages in Songea. The project addressed issues of mortality and malnutrition, reduced the female labor burden in the area, provided training on well maintenance and supported inter-generational collaboration. [PWX report]
Tanzania PADI $14,347 1,500 children

Safe water for remote secondary schools in Tanzania
Our supporters responded to the 30-mile Challenge in October 2008 to raise funds for drilling boreholes and install hand pumps for 3 remote secondary schools. will create access to clean and safe water for 1500 students, eliminating time that used to be spent walking 1 to 2 km to fetch water. Current water sources are local dug wells that are open and easily contaminated. The project will include significant community involvement and ownership, with a focus on project maintenance, hygiene and sanitation. [PWX report Kalembo | Luwawasi | Chandarua]
India Project Well $21,063 750

Arsenic Safe Drinking Water: Bengal
Now in its third year of funding, this self-supporting community-based program providing arsenic safe water using modified dugwells and public education on water related health effects continues to expand in West Bengal. Plans are to construct dugwells in 25 villages: 10 will be of a new design – dug-cum-tube well, and 15 dugwells will have an 8’ pipe at the bottom. All the villagers are given knowledge on effects of drinking arsenic contaminated water and the benefits of dugwell water that is treated with chlorine. They are also given knowledge on the practice of proper personal hygiene to prevent the spread of water and food borne diseases. [PWX report list]
Congo Protos $8,200 550 (BPN share)

Rehabilitation and improving water management system
BPRF funds were leveraged to get larger agencies to fund 90% of the total project cost. The project will assist 4 water user committees in the rehabilitation and extension of existing drinking water systems that were built between 1985 and 1995, including the protection of new springs and construction of additional tanks. Extensive training for the water committees will be provided on all systems to promote best practices, enable management and stimulate collaboration. [PWX report]
Sierra Leone Safer Future $28,874 7,500

Well maintenance training for sustainable water
Many earlier projects funded by foreign organizations have fallen into disuse and disrepair. Instead of creating new projects, this project seeks to repair and restore the old projects, this time properly training the local population on use and maintenance. This project will train 60 people as water pump care-takers and 4 people as water pump technicians in 30 villages. Hygiene and sanitation education will be a component of their training.  Additional funding has also been provided for a previous project whose progress was impeded by a crime. [PWX report]
Mozambique A Single Drop $6,000 400 (BPN share)

AIDS Orphan Safety Center Safe Water Project
This project will train an AIDS Orphan Safety Center to implement rainwater harvesting systems, water treatment technologies and sanitation strategies with the intention of supporting the center as an income generating local hub of water education and training. The Center plans to reach out to the local community and offer WASH education and training. [PWX report]
Bookmark/Search this post with: