Hey so a short post for you guys, but an important one. I've provided a link here for those who might want to donate to my latrine project. Currently the community have organized themselves into several work groups and are in the process of digging the 67 pits for the latrines. Work has been progressing quickly but the main challenge has proved to be the 'sandy-ness' of the soil. This means that some of the latrine pits cannot be dug any deeper than 6 feet without the pit collapsing on itself. The only realistic solution thus far has been to keep the pits not only shallower but smaller in area as well. This means the latrines will fill more quickly but there appears to by no alternative.

All of the pits should be finished in the next few weeks and then the community will really just be waiting to begin construction of the concrete slabs for the base of the latrines. To do that, though, we need this grant to be filled so this is where you all can lend a hand. 60 dollars buys enough materials for one latrine, just for reference. 

Also, volunteer Erica Jones will be constructing a metal press which we will use to shape chicken wire into a lightweight structure for a 'prototype' latrine design. The currently used design could be called 'over-engineered' and uses 1/2" rebar reinforcement and an entire sack of cement. The newly proposed design will use far less cement and chicken wire for reinforcement as opposed to rebar, making it lighter and more affordable (which means it might be possible to construct these latrines without outside funding at all). This press will be used to 'corrugate' the chicken wire which optimizes the strength of the latrine pad.

https://donate.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=13-525-027