TABLE OF CONTENTS                                                
1.0  INTRODUCTION
2.0  BACKGROUND ON SIERRA LEONE
3.0  VILLAGE OF BAOMA
4.0  COVENANT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
5.0  EXISTING BAOMA WATER SUPPLY
6.0  IDENTIFIED WATER SUPPLY PROBLEMS

         Hydrogeologic Setting
7.0  WATER SUPPLY ALTERNATIVES
8.0  PERSONNEL
9.0  DONATIONS
10.0 NATURAL SIGHTS FROM BAOMA

1.0             INTRODUCTION

Some time ago I was asked by the faculty advisor to the Penn State University (PSU) Chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) if I would help the EWB Chapter with water resource issues, since I'm a practicing geologist and hydrogeologist.  The faculty advisor is a fiddle-player and a personal friend, and I was glad to offer my help.

In December 2011 the PSU EWB Chapter travelled to Sierra Leone to the village of Baoma, which is located on the outskirts of the capital city of Freetown.  The Covenant Preparatory School had previously been identified through the international referral service of the Engineers Without Borders organization as needing a latrine for its 60 students, and PSU EWB sought to help.  During a previous assessment trip to Baoma, the PSU EWB Chapter had also identified water resource issues as being critically  important to the Preparatory School and to the entire village of Baoma, so the December 2011 trip had a major component dedicated to water resource issues.

    Water collection at the Habbour Spring     Children in the Covenant Preparatory School

The first day in Baoma I met Pastor Martin Simbo and his wife Jane, principals of the Covenant School.  Pastor Martin explained that the location for the EWB latrine project had changed from 2010 because it is no longer possible for the school to rent the land upon which the school was located.

I stood at the new school site talking with Pastor Martin, looking out over the village, and thoughts went through my head of solicitations that I had seen in the past seeking money for humanitarian projects and to which I had the reaction "I wonder how much of each dollar spent actually goes to benefit the people ?".  The new school project and improvements to the village water system are two projects for which 100 percent of donations go directly to work, with no administrative fees or other non-direct uses.  More about donations later.

I decided to use this portion of the Yellowstone Jewelry website to publicize the school and water projects in Baoma.  The rest of this section presents information on Sierra Leone and Baoma, and will be updated to include progress on the school and water supply projects. 

Here's a YouTube clip:

   *  road from Freetown to Baoma

   *  Covenant School early January 2012

   *  New school site

  Click to enlarge

"Water Na Life" means "Water Is Life" in the Krio Language; sign at the Garden Spring

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