Last year, the Ararat Foundation completely renovated the roof of a five-story apartment building in the village of Kayan, located in the Tavush province of Armenia.
However, the village continues to face a major challenge — a severely inadequate drinking water supply.
Kayan is situated in a mountainous area, and its residents depend on natural water streams, such as small creeks flowing downhill from the mountain tops, for their drinking water.
In 1992, the first water pipeline was built — an underground system over 2 km long, transporting water from a concrete reservoir located higher up the mountain to two large cisterns for storage. From there, the water is distributed to households, the local school, and the kindergarten.
Unfortunately, this pipeline system has not functioned properly for a long time.
During its construction, several structural errors were made, and low-quality steel pipes were used. As a result, 80% of the water is lost during transportation.
The pipes were not buried deep enough and have corroded quickly.
Consequently, most residents now have no access to drinking water at home, and both the school and kindergarten are often left without water.
Villagers are forced to carry water in buckets from the reservoir.
The lack of water has created serious hygiene problems, especially in the kindergarten, where food must be prepared and proper sanitation is vital for children’s health.
The school currently has 160 students (some coming from neighboring villages), and 40 children attend the kindergarten.
Both facilities are sometimes forced to close temporarily because adequate hygiene and food preparation cannot be ensured.
Many households also have no running water, particularly during the summer months, when the shortage is at its worst.
We can help these people by replacing the 2 km long water pipeline system with a new, functional one.
The Ararat Foundation has asked specialists in Armenia to prepare a budget, with the total cost of the project estimated at around €9,000.
You can view the detailed budget here: Project 2019 Budget.
💙 With your support, we can make a real difference in the lives of these people.
Your contribution will help bring clean water to the homes, schools, and children of Kayan.
If you would like to support the Water Supply Project in Kayan, you can donate to the following account:
NL04 ABNA 0550 5777 26, in the name of Stichting Ararat (Ararat Foundation).
The foundation is a registered ANBI organization, meaning that donations are tax-deductible in the Netherlands.
Project “Water Supply for Kayan” Successfully Completed
The Ararat Foundation has successfully completed its largest project of 2019 — “Water Supply for Kayan.”
A team of professional workers completed all the necessary construction and installation work within four weeks.
The newly built water wells now provide an abundant supply of clean drinking water for the residents of the village of Kayan.
You can read more about the work completed during each week below:
Week 1
The water well, which supplies drinking water to the residents and schoolchildren, was heavily contaminated and filled with moss and sediment.
Due to a rise in the water level of the nearby stream, this water had entered the well, causing further pollution.
Because of the poor condition of the pipeline, less than 20% of the water collected in the well actually reached the residents.
Week 2
First, a trench of approximately 2.3 km was dug, with a depth ranging between 80–90 cm.
The trench was first filled with sand to protect the water pipes from damage.
In photo 2, you can see a large pipe that is in very poor condition.
This pipe causes rust and contamination of the drinking water and will also be repaired.
Week 3
The water pipeline has now been installed, after overcoming many challenges.
The old water well is being dismantled, and a new well is being constructed to ensure the supply of clean water.
The new well will be larger and higher, to prevent contamination from external sources.
Additionally, the flow direction of the stream next to the well has been changed to avoid mixing with the drinking water.
Week 4
In place of the two old and contaminated water wells, new and higher wells have been constructed.
These wells have been sealed to prevent contamination from external sources.
The water filter has also been repaired and secured with a lock.
The flow direction of the stream next to the well has been changed to prevent it from mixing with the drinking water.
The water pipes have been fully air-purged, allowing the water to flow at full pressure toward the two metal water tanks located in the village, each with a capacity of 16 tons.
From these tanks, the water distribution is regulated between the school, kindergarten, and the residents of Kayan.
The water that now reaches its destination is abundant and exceptionally clean.
Even the boilers in the apartments on the fifth floor of the residential building now function perfectly, providing residents with cold and hot water throughout the entire day.
Important work has been accomplished, and the residents are very pleased.
They are deeply grateful to everyone who made this project possible.
The Ararat Foundation would like to especially thank the following organizations and individuals for their generous donations:
The Grigoryan Family from the United States
Stichting Keerpunt
The Mgdesian Family
Aalsmeerse Plantenhal Heiloo
And not to forget, all those who donated to this project during our events.
This project would not have been possible without your support.
Thank you!
A detailed overview of the project expenses can be found here.
This project has also been featured in the local media: https://www.aravot.am/2019/05/19/1043951/?fbclid=IwAR0xSHuOZSEW-N50Kk0kUlagY-eD190K7ZEOiui87GD4qmPLeswd_EGunS0