Want to DOUBLE your [Mission: Agua-Possible] donation this week?! We'll match your contribution, STEEM for STEEM!
It's week 49 of Mission: Agua-Possible! I'm DRutter. This post updates our progress toward the goal of 1300 USD (in STEEM), for a well pump to bring water to the family farm of @EdgarGonzalez.
Background
Severe economic and political crisis over the past few years in the South American country of Venezuela have intensified in 2019, as president Maduro doubled down on his currency manipulation, price-fixing, propaganda, and suppressing resistance. You've heard about the country's recent turmoil, but the world's media isn't showing us even half the reality!
I began to see more and more Steem users from Venezuela, and I started to hear their interesting stories - and ask questions. I discovered some dark truths about the economic and political situation there. Most shops are empty, the currency is collapsing, people are hungry - the economy is at a standstill. Theft, corruption, and violence escalate as society breaks down. Those who can are fleeing on foot - 6 million already. The harsh socialist government attempts to control/fix the economy, and blames problems on the people. Most government services (like running water) work only in certain areas - or not at all.
The people are desperate for any change and protests sometimes fill the streets for miles. Maduro announced that Venezuela will no longer accept US Dollars for oil exports, then tried to get his country's gold back from Bank of England, who refused. The Russian military has become involved, supporting Maduro. The Americans back a man called Guaidó, who also has little public support. Electrical blackouts happen regularly. The US is blockading the country with their navy from the sea, "eager to help" (hungry to invade). Stability for the people appears out of reach.
Edgar
About a year ago, I found @edgargonzalez, the blog of Edgar, a Venezuelan man about my age. He's a father of young children, and a professional whose job disappeared because of the crisis. He feeds his family by fishing, foraging for fruits, and growing cassava on his late-father's plantation. He uses Steemit to share his stories and earn Steem to buy food. Shortly after I met Edgar, a power outage caused a failure of the pump used to bring water up to the farm. A repairman confirmed the pump is beyond fixing. Edgar had been using his well to water his crops, and to provide drinking water to his children and other families in the neighborhood. Without a pump to bring water up from the aquifer, his garden output has dropped - and the neighborhood must forage for water elsewhere.
Without government water services, and now without water from his well, Edgar and a few other families are in a tough situation. I wondered what a poor Canadian man could do to help. After using the Steem blockchain to learn about the problems, I realized that it could also be the SOLUTION!
That's when I first began Mission Agua-possible! (The first post was here. I published a special video edition in week 43 here.) Once we gather 1300 USD worth of Steem, I'll transfer it to Edgar, to be converted to cash to buy the pump.
Water is life! Getting this pump for the farm as soon as possible is vital.
Forward progress again, finally!
After months of nonstop currency devaluation, the USD value of STEEM finally bounced off a low this week, and is up slightly to 0.19 USD. On top of that, I offered to match any donations this week, and that generated a massive influx of STEEM! Huge thanks to @kunschj, who kicked in 250, which became a 500 STEEM donation after my match! That's huge!
We also got donations from Melinda and John, and a few others, which were ALL doubled via my personal funds before being added to the MAP total! See the full breakdown below, and our new all-time high progress.
Will you make the water flow, with us?
Much appreciation to those who upvoted last week:
Week 49
week 48 funds: 888.773 Steem
new funds:
- week 48 post payout = 0.002 SBD, 1.388 STEEM and 1.402 STEEM POWER = 2.804 Steem
- 250.0 STEEM direct donation from @kunschj
- 250.0 STEEM donation match from me
- 5.0 STEEM direct donation from @melinda010100
- 5.0 STEEM donation match from me
- 1.5 STEEM direct donation from @greatesteem
- 1.5 STEEM donation match from me
- 20.0 STEEM direct donation from @jk6276
- 20.0 STEEM donation match from me
- 1.0 STEEM direct donation from @hempy
- 1.0 STEEM donation match from me
- you can send me Steem directly and your donation will be noted here
Total funds: 1446.577 Steem
x 0.189 USD/Steem = $273.40 USD (of $1300)
Current progress: 21.0%
Thanks to a break from the STEEM price collapse, and the massive donation haul, we surged ahead to 21% complete this week! Congratulations everybody!!
And as mentioned in the thread title, your chance to get donations matched isn't over!
@kunschj will match your donations this week, STEEM for STEEM!
I think it's a great idea, and generous offer. Thank you @kunschj for keeping the momentum going!
Let's take advantage of the STEEM price while it's still cheap, and move that progress bar again!
Upvoting this post is appreciated so much! 100% goes to the project.
Mission Agua-Possible will help many people, and inspire other great projects. It's a group success story, playing out on the Steem blockchain. Together, we're going to dramatically improve the lives of a whole neighborhood that really needs it!
DRutter
Woohoo, almost at that 1/4 mark! Keep up the good work :) You've already done the work really, you just need Steem to not be a bitch.
21% is outstanding! Look how close we are to 1/4 of the way... perhaps next week?!
Congrats and thanks to all the contributors last week, especially @kunschj!
I'd like to take advantage of the extended offer to match, with a donation of 5.0 STEEM this week :))
Also, upvoted and resteemed!!
We've also upvoted and resteemed.
Good luck Edgar and family, hopefully the rains continue until we can get this project finished.
AWESOME!
Let's hope the offer to double donations gets well used again this week! Another big boost and we'll be past 25% complete. After that, the project will get more notice, and more momentum! Hopefully, the price recovers, and we can ride to victory in just a matter of weeks :D
We're coming, Edgar, hang in there!!
I gave all I could last week, but I've upvoted and resteemed this post. <3
I would also like to take advantage of @kunschj's offer to match donations this week, if that's okay :)
I'm putting another 50 of my STEEM into the [MAP] fund. We're comin', Edgar!!
I am right under the wire, but I chipped in a couple of Steem:
Thanks @kunschj for matching donations! :)
Got it, thank you @phoenixwren (and @kunschj)!
Update post tomorrow (Saturday).
Gracias amigo por todo esto que hace por ayudar a mi familia y vecinos que nos veneficiamos con el pozo. Y la bomba sumergible mi fe continua intacta
Saludos Dios lo bendiga
De nada, amigo mío. Todo el mundo merece acceso a abundante agua limpia. I'm felices de que pronto será capaz de ayudarle a brindar a su familia y vecindario con esa necesidad básica. Por favor, seleccione la bomba que cree que es la mejor para sus necesidades. Asegúrese de que es una bomba que durará muchos años. Consulte también sobre la instalación y otros costos. Quiero asegurarme de que 1300 USD será suficiente.
Sé que estás ocupado cuidando de tu familia, así que por favor sólo responde cuando tengas tiempo libre. Espero con ansias completar este proyecto, y ver fotos de su nueva bomba y cultivos regados!
Saludos de su amigo en Columbia Británica, Canadá.
Here are my matches for the generous donations of @phoenixwren and @drutter:
You rock, bud! Thank you so much @kunschj. We had a great week, and now we're about to have another (in the upvotes department this time). Big respect, thanks for all your help.
You're very welcome! I really want to see this project succeed.
Awesome. And there are several of us now, who are actively envisioning the completion of the project, and taking the steps to get us there. That's powerful, and it's going to work, thanks to you and a group of dedicated visionaries :)
I wonder how you get that pump over there or if there can be bought one at all. The prices are rising, corruption everywhere. I do not know if there are more people from Venezuela here, before they might have not told where they lived. @freewritehouse, @mariannewest and @crypto.piotr give them a hand as well.
Good luck you have my upvote.
💕
Posted using Partiko Android
Thanks for your help!
I think there's a common belief that Venezuela is a warzone, a scorched and ruined place where people in rags fight for scaps.
From what I have seen, the reality is more that the country is gripped by a political dictatorship, natural resources are squandered, corruption is rampant, and the currency is in hyperinflation.
So there is still a functioning economy in the country, although for many large items, the USDollar is used. The USDollar, while itself a doomed currency, is far more stable than the local Bolivar (or STEEM). Once we have 1300 USD worth of STEEM, it will be transferred to Edgar, so he can use it locally to buy the cash needed to purchase the pump. The one he has his eye on is pure steel and Italian-made. I'm waiting to hear back if 1300 includes installation, or if we'll need a bit more for that.
You're right that corruption is a worry. In many cases that just means paying somebody off, so your shipment arrives on time, that kind of thing. Obviously Edgar won't pay for the pump if the installer doesn't come through. Everything is cash on delivery there (in part because of the corruption, but also because of the inflation).
What caused this situation in the first place is the government's electrical outages knocked out his pump and caused it to burn out. It had been repaired several times, but this time finally was destroyed. It's not a case of the previous pump having been stolen, or anything like that. The USA wants to invade, but so far hasn't been able to make it happen. I hope that doesn't happen, because then your fears would be true and the country will be a warzone, with no commerce or regular daily living possible. These people have already been through enough! I hope peace and stability is in sight for them.
To listen to the audio version of this article click on the play image.
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Thanks for the donation @greatesteem. Here's the matching contribution:
