ABDF

• Project Completed Update! (See below)
• Location: Pallakadu, Batticaloa, Sri Lanka
• Recipients:50 households
• Objective:Build a water tank
• Final cost:$1,123 US

ABDF's water tanks at Navatkadu and Mangikkadu, have proven to be very successful and quite popular.

The most local government level in Sri Lanka is the Divisional Secretary (DS). In Sri Lanka, provinces are divided into Districts, and Districts into Divisions. All of our water tanks have been built in Manmunai West Division with the approval and cooperation of the DS office.

Recently the DS approached ABDF with a request for a water tank for a specific site, the village of Pallakadu. After investigating the site, ABDF has agreed to prioritize the next tank to be constructed there.

At Pallakadu village limits: the dry communal well.

Pallakadu is located a few kilometers inland from Mangikkadu on a sun-baked flatland accessible only by a dirt track that hasn’t been maintained in years. Upon approach, the first thing a visitor sees is a sign announcing the village border next to an enormous communal well. The road then continues through the village, which is probably no more than a kilometer (about 2/3 of a mile) from end to end. The villagers are all rice farmers, which is purely seasonal work; the rest of the year there is no employment. The place is so tiny it can’t even support one of the obsequious tiny roadside shop selling daily necessities. To purchase anything, villagers must go to the nearest village, which is about 2 kilometers away.

View of Pallakadu village

Project Director Bennett Hinkley looked down into the well, and was astonished at its depth; at least two stories down. In fact the well is dug down to the bedrock, which was clearly visible because the well was bone dry. The Project Director was told that at the end of the rainy season (around the beginning of April) the water table is only a few meters below the surface, and the well is brimming. However, by the time the summer sets in, the water table has fallen below the bedrock. The inspection was carried out in mid-June; it was amazing at how fast the water disappears in just over a month.

During the seven or so months of heat, the villagers are forced to go to the nearest village, about 2 kilometers, on bicycle and haul water back in plastic jugs. This includes ALL water, not just for drinking but also cleaning and washing. The amount of time and energy it must take to bring back enough water for the daily needs of fifty families is difficult to imagine, especially when riding rickety single-gear bicycles in the heat along that atrocious road. Clearly there is great need for some sort of solution to the water situation.

Another view of Pallakadu village

The DS has agreed to fill the water tank as often as needed. This will not solve the whole problem; the water will be only for drinking and cooking, but it will help the residents of Pallakadu greatly.

Project Completed Update - August 09, 2009

Taking a breather from cleaning the inside of the tank.

Today Project Director Bennett drove out to Pallakadu with our local water tank partner, Prabha, to see the newly finished tank. The cement had dried out yesterday, Saturday, and the mason had hired a local boy to climb inside the tank and give it a good cleaning. This was going on at the time of our visit.

Voila! One water tank!

The Division water truck will make its first water delivery tomorrow, being a Monday. The 10,000 liter tank will supply enough drinking/cooking water for all of Pallakadu for three days.

It must be said that we were able to respond to this problem much faster than any of the bigger agencies would have. ABDF first looked at the site on July 17th. We told the villagers we would help, and now they will get their first tankful of water tomorrow, a scant three weeks later!

All ABDF supporters should be proud of this.

The elderly village head wanted to convey his greetings to ABDF, and to thank us for the tank, which will go a long way towards solving the villages’ water problem.