Peace Corps Partnership Project

After being a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador for a little over a year now, I have finally determined what my main long-term project will be. I have seen first-hand that clean water is a big priority, how easy it can be to provide, and yet how difficult it can be to negotiate with the bureaucratic government of Ecuador, who has bigger issues to deal with.

I have been working with community members of Yakuñay, a small village located at about 9,800 feet above sea level, just up the hill from Cebadas, where I live. It takes about 25-minutes to travel there by car, or an hour and a half walking as there are no busses. The population of this village is about 80 (28 families), all without access to clean water. They are currently drinking the water directly as it comes out of the spring, and their potable water system needs many repairs. The municipality constructed a water capture system about 15 years ago, and it has gone without repairs or maintenance since its installation due to lack of funds and knowledge. Yakuñay is too small to be recognized as a “community” in the Ecuadorian governmental organization system, so they are not eligible for government assistance.

For the immediate future, I’m looking forward to being the project coordinator to replace certain sections of PVC tubing leading to residences; install buoys and shut-off valves for repairing the pressure breakers; install a plastic tank for chlorination and improved water quality; and see that water meters are installed at homes so the village can begin to collect fees to pay for future maintenance and repair. I am really excited about being able to help the people of Yakuñay through this project, because it will be one thing that will remain after I leave.
I have been in contact with a group of students from Kansas State University who are involved with Engineers Without Borders (EWB). They will be travelling to Ecuador in January, 2012 to assist with my project. I am hoping KSU’s EWB team will commit to making improvements to Yakuñay’s water system for at least five consecutive years. I am also eager to show the EWB team how people in Ecuador live, and to have the locals here interact with some other Americans. The people I have met during the past year have been so welcoming and accepting of me, and I am glad I will be able to reciprocate their generosity with this worthwhile project. The community leaders in Yakuñay are currently enlisting other residents to work alongside the EWB team.

I wrote and received approval for a Peace Corps Partnership Program (PCPP) grant that is posted on the Peace Corps website at http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate. By entering project number 518-371, you can read more about my project and have the opportunity to electronically donate as little or as much as you would like. The amount needed to make this project a reality is $5500.00 US. In order to have time to purchase the materials before the EWB team arrives in early January, my self-imposed deadline to raise the funds is November 30, 2011

I hope you will seriously consider donating to this worthwhile endeavor to provide clean water to the residents of Yakuñay. It would also be greatly appreciated if you could forward this letter to others who would be interested in helping to create a healthier quality of life for those less fortunate.

Thank you for your time and consideration. If you have questions, please email me at kknthomp@gmail.com. I do not have regular internet access, but will respond to your questions as quickly as possible.