The Canadian delegation has been arriving all this week in Chausy and we have several projects on the go. We have a team working on replacing a roof for a young family. When they replace a roof here it is not just the surface, but the whole roof, rafters and all!
We will also be having a big birthday party for all of the children at the Chausy Orphanage tomorrow night and we had a local hair stylist start today giving all of the boys a cut and style to get them ready. Tomorrow, the rest of the boys and all the girls.
I will be covering both of these activities over the next few days.
Today we also started another initiative that we had been hoping to do for over a year. Margaret Campbell, an Officer on our Board of Directors from Chatham, Ontario, took on the fundraising for this project. The funds were raised with the help of the Erie Street United Church in Ridgetown, Ontario as well as through family and friends
This is a home just across the river from Chausy and like many in the area it does not have running water or indoor plumbing. Two young ladies, that we have known for many years growing up at the Chausy Orphanage, live here along with their two very young children, a husband, a brother-in-law and mother-in-law. Hard to imagine raising babies without running water! This initiative will see the well drilled and water run into the house to a sink and counter that we will also add.
Most wells in this area are dug by hand, but we were able to hire a well drilling outfit from Minsk, with the guarantee that we only pay if they get water.
Unlike Eastern Ontario with a lot of rock, the soil here is very sandy and the drilling went very quickly. They hit water at about 12 metres and drilled the well to 23 metres. According to the operators it produced more than 2 tonnes per hour. They dropped a pump in the well and ran it until the water was clear, took a drink and declared it safe for drinking!
Here we see a happy group in front of the completed well casing. Margaret Campbell with Sveta’s baby and Dave Shaw on the left, Yanna and her daughter on the right with her mother-in-law, brother-in-law and her husband behind her.
Just try to imagine how life-changing something that we take for granted everyday could be, especially when trying to care for young children. Currently they have to haul water by hand from a hydrant 100 metres down the road, summer and winter! How many bucket loads would you have to carry for your cooking, cleaning, bathing and laundry?
Lives changed for the better!
Eric McKenzie
Well said, Eric ~ you really gave me pause.
What a difference you are making in lives!
I wodered how you chose this particular family to help when there must be so many others in a similar situation. What a difference you have made to their lives! I can scarcely imagine what it must be like not to have running water.
I have brand new men’s and ladies pyjamas. About 60 pairs, can you use them in Chaussy for the people outside the orphanage? Also I do the granny bags in purse so the grannies have purses and not just a shoe box. I have made up about 40 of them or we could also do the purses with young mothers. Do you want seeds to be bought for next year? Could you give me a list of what is needed as I support several other organizations. Thank you . You are a priority. Keep up the wonderful work.
Remarkable how much we take for granted.
Everyone who has never visited a third world country ought to.
It will change your life.
That is amazing, I can;t imagine how grateful they would be for running water. Think of the time alone that will be saved each and very day not to mention the quality of life.