Bring Water to the village of Maase-Offinso

The village of Maase-Offinso lies just north of the regional capitol Kumasi in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Previously, the village had been known for providing reliable and clean water, which attracted other people from around the region. Due to repeated failures of the current pumping system, the village of over 5,000 must now collect their water by carrying heavy buckets over 1100 feet of hillside terrain. A new reliable water system would not only provide a sense of pride for the people of Masse-Offinso, but also a steady source of income for the community.

Five senior mechanical engineering students in the Russ College of Engineering and Technology at Ohio University and a faculty mentor from the Mechanical Engineering Department have been working on the design of a new water pump for tht village. The students' water pump design includes a 20-panel, 4.2 kilowatt-hour array that will power two pumps capable of pumping 10,000 gallons of water per day to nearby storage tanks.

The team, known as "Team Pump It Up", is fund raising for its efforts. The estimated cost of the solar pumping system and travel costs is $51,000. Along with support from the Russ College dean's office, the Department of Mechanical Engineering and engineering consulting company Belcan, the team is applying for more than $10,000 in grants through EWB and is appealing to private donors for the remaining balance of approximately $13,000.

UPDATE:
Team pump it up has concluded their design, material sourcing in Ghana, and has constructed the structures to mount the pumps in the spring. They are moving forward with getting the logistics of the trip finished, including making arrangements with American Field Services and getting shots.