Lenny's "Pilas" Project
In this section, we present a project of Peace Corps Volunteer Lenny Van Boven, serving in Chicocox, Guatemala. The project, involving extensive community participation, is providing sinks for use by 86 people.Lenny’s “Pilas” Project - The Beginning
Water Charity is pleased to have enabled a project in rural Guatemala to provide sinks for an entire community. The project, which will serve 86 people, was proposed by, and will be completed under the direction of, Lenny Van Boven, a Peace Corps Volunteer, living in Chicocox, Guatemala.
Here is how Lenny describes the project:
The project consists of providing 16 pilas, one per home, accounting for the population of Chicocox. Caserio Chicocox is part of the Aldea Xinacati, Municipio of Cubulco, located approximately 15 km northwest of Cubulco. The community is accessible only by foot.
In 2001, a water project was completed whereby running water from a stream-fed tank, located approximately 5 km away, was piped to the community.
The addition of pilas will permit the washing of clothes, food and dishes in a more comfortable, hygienic and professional manner.
Water shortage is a common problem in the community during the dry season (December-May), and the tanks of the pilas will aid water storage.
Water Charity looked very favorably on this project for many reasons. It added to a prior successful project, thereby directly impacting on the wellbeing of the community. It was simple and limited in concept, presented no impediments, utilized appropriate technology, was cost effective, and could be accomplished at once.
Furthermore, the plan called for community participation, a necessary element in any community development project.
Water Charity made a commitment to provide funds for the project, and build upon an existing and identified co-funding source.
A sum of money had been raised by the students of Treeview Elementary School
, in Hayward, California, under the direction of their teacher, Irene Riddle. The funds were previously earmarked for transporting textbooks, but other means were arranged for the books to be sent to Guatemala, freeing up this money for use on Lenny’s “pilas” project.
With the assistance of Friends of Guatemala, an organization of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who served in Guatemala, the funds from the two sources were aggregated and sent to Guatemala for use in the project.
Installation of the pilas is presently underway. Lenny will give us updates and photos as the project progresses.
Nearing Conclusion on Lenny’s “Pilas” Project
As Lenny’s project moves to completion, it exemplifies a premise that we believe in: “A project is only the beginning of a process.” Once started, your initial goal may be reached, but your successes lead to more good things.
Lenny reports:
All of the pilas are in place, and most of the people have built roofs over the pilas to protect them from the sun, as I requested.
I have supplied everyone with 2 meters of tube to use as a drain. Yesterday, March 11th, the water and sanitation technician from CARITAS, a local NGO, visited the community and built a ¨plancha¨ for the pila in the school, and gave a great training class about pilas, health, and community organization.
The plancha is a concrete base that catches the water coming out of the pilas drains, and filters it directly into the drainage tube. It is also a nice block to stand on while using the pila. In addition to making the school´s pila more functional, it serves as a demonstration. The entire community came out to see how it was built, and many have been encouraged to build their own planchas.
The concrete pilas are only the beginning. Community involvement in the project brings better community organization. New construction skills are learned and better health practices are undertaken. An understanding of the benefits leads to further improvements. Boiled down to its essence, Lenny brings “inspiration”.
Click on the pictures to open them in full size. To read the background to the project, click HERE
Progress on Lenny’s “Pilas” Project
This is a progress report on the “Pilas” project of Lenny Van Boven, Peace Corps Volunteer, serving in Chicocox, Guatemala. You can read about this project HERE.
During the planning stage, Lenny determined that it would be less expensive to purchase fabricated pilas than to build molds, purchase the materials, and pour them in place.
Lenny planned the implementation as follows:
The community participation will be in the form of transportation. They have already formed into two geographically distinct groups, and have pooled money to hire a truck which will bring the pilas partway. They will then split up into smaller groups and be responsible for bringing the pilas in by hand and foot. Each pila is made of solid cement which has been poured into a mold, and they weigh approximately 500 pounds each.
Lenny reports that to date the community has purchased and transported 8 pilas. This week, they will purchase 8 more to be used in family homes, plus an additional one for the local school. In addition, drainage systems will be set up.
In the near future, CARITAS, an NGO working in the vicinity, will send its water and sanitation officer to discuss pila use and care with the community.