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| Mandoli Women's Garden - Pump Project |
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| Project Director |
| Christopher Bentley, Peace Corps Volunteer |
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Project Number |
Total Cost (US$) |
Location |
FS01-03-PC |
$424.46 |
Mandoli (Dogon) & Gossi (Gao), Mali |
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Project Description
Mandoli is a small Dogon village situated on the Bandiagara escarpment. It is part of the commune of Bara-Sara within the circle of Bandiagara. The village is 40 km south of Bandiagara and 35 km east of Bankass. Approximately 750 villagers are divided among 7 quartiers, comprised of Dogon and Fula people, with the languages of these two groups being the ones predominantly spoken in village. There is a small weekly market and two boutiques in Mandoli. The villagers of Mandoli rely predominantly on subsistence agriculture for their livelihood, and grow millet, sorghum, beans and peanuts as their staple crops. The village is entirely and actively Muslim, and there is a clear division between genders on social and economic issues.
Women are responsible for earning the money used to buy clothing, condiments, medicines and house wares for the family. Women of the village have formed an association with the goals of improving nutrition and generating income with a women's garden. The women's garden, established in 2006-07 with the help of Peace Corps volunteer Heather Leach, is now slowly coming to life. Many women have started their own plots and are growing lettuce, onions, cucumbers, melons and peppers. Despite the busy schedules of Mandoli's women, despite the heat, and despite the plant eating insects the garden is taking shape and the women are proving that this land will grow food for their families and generate income as well.
A large diameter well was established inside the women's garden and it is used, as one might expect, endlessly in this arid climate. It is essential to the success of the garden. My counterpart in Mandoli and the city representative was keen to notice that the water in the well is 5 meters from the surface. He informed me that this is within the range that is required to operate a Nafasoro Pump. This foot pump reduces the time and energy put into hauling bucket after bucket from the well by drawing water and carrying it via plastic tubing to a destination where it can be used to irrigate or broadcast in an allotted area. The addition of this pump to the women's garden would not only reduce the physical strain of pulling water by hand but would also increase efficiency and productivity of the garden resulting in more food, better nutrition and more money coming into each family, each concession and the community as a whole. More vegetables and fruits are going to combat malnutrition, surplus produce will be sold at the market, this can revitalize the suffering market, boosting the local economy and the livelihoods of the community members.
Another attractive trait of the Nafasoro Pump is its price. It is roughly 48,000 - 50,000 FCFA for the pump and an additional 450 FCFA per meter of plastic tubing. The women's association estimated that they would need approximately 100 meters of tubing bringing the total contribution desired to 95,000 FCFA. Assuming an exchange rate of 400 FCFA to the dollar, the grand total would be $237.50 USD.
Peace Corps volunteer Christopher Bentley installed one pump with plastic tubing for his host community, Mandoli. In addition he assisted Peace Corps volunteer Jared Alden with the installation of a second pump (with plastic tubing) in Gossi, Mali. Alden used the pump to introduce a drip irrigation system for gardens in Gossi.
View the Final Report
Project Budget | | | | |
| Village |
Materials |
Quantity |
Unit Price |
Total Price (CFA) |
| Mandoli/Bentley |
Nafasoro Pump |
1 Pump |
49,500 |
49,500 |
| Mandoli/Bentley |
20 cm Tubing |
50 Meters |
575/m |
28,750 |
| Mandoli/Bentley |
40 cm Tubing |
12 Meters |
1500/m |
28,750 |
| Gossi/Alden’s |
Nafasoro Pump |
1 Pump |
49,500 |
49,500 |
| Gossi/Alden’s* |
Plastic Tubing |
N/A |
N/A |
35,500 |
| Grand Total (CFA) |
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175,250 |
| Community Contribution (Mandoli Women’s Association) |
5,250 |
| African Sky Contribution |
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170,000 |
| *$415.00 + 9.46 transfer fee |
*Gossi tubing receipts to be submitted by Jared Alden. 35,500 CFA and one (1) Nafasoro pump was given to Alden in July.
Award Notification Date: 30 June 2008 |
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