[ Mission: Agua-Possible ] We're sending Edgar $15 USD in Steem to buy WATER for his family this Christmas!

in #christmas4 years ago

This is DRutter, and here's the 66th weekly post for Mission: Agua-Possible! It 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, 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 - 8 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. Stability for the people appears out of reach.

Edgar

In mid-2018 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, harvesting fruits, and growing cassava on his late-father's plantation. He uses the Steem blockchain to share his stories and earn cryptocurrency 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.

( Edgar returned to the blockchain this week after having trouble getting basic food and propane for his family. Desperate people wait hours or days for a chance to buy fuel for cooking and power. His post has several good photos. Things are getting even worse there lately. )

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.

Christmas "Water Gift" success!

In addition to having a reasonably good week for project progress, we achieved success in our holiday "water gift" side project! @Kunschj, who is also a regular contributor going back to day 1, pitched in an extra 100 STEEM toward the gift! You'll read more about it below.

Our overall progress is creeping back toward 25%, thanks to the STEEM price holding ground, and some significant upvotes. Won't it be nice to pass the 1/4 mark?

Will you make the water flow, with us?

Much appreciation to those who upvoted last week:

Week 66

week 65 funds: 2200.185 Steem

new funds:

  • week 65 post payout = 10.939 STEEM and 10.939 STEEM POWER = 21.878 Steem
  • 100.0 STEEM direct donation from @kunschj
  • you can send me Steem directly and your donation will be noted here

Total funds: 2322.063 Steem

x 0.140 USD/Steem = $325.09 USD (of $1300)

Current progress: 25.0% !

Here's YOUR Christmas surprise! We DID reach the 1/4 mark, for the very first time this week!

Thanks to a recovering STEEM price this week, generous upvotes from people like @reflektor, @canadian-coconut, @xpilar, and @hingsten, and 100 STEEM directly from @kunschj, our total is valued at $325 USD, which is 25% of 1300!

We'll announce that headline next week. For now, there's an important holiday matter to attend to...

Christmas water gift for Edgar!

Thanks to upvotes from @jk6276 and @j85063, plus direct donations of 2.0 STEEM from @MediKatie and 3.5 STEEM from me, we've got another 5.701 STEEM to add to the 1.412 we collected last week toward Christmas water. That's 7.113 STEEM in total - thanks everybody!

And then @Kunschj's 100 STEEM water gift donation came in! Now we've got 107.113 STEEM in total, which at the current rate, is worth $15 USD!

The STEEM is liquid in my account and ready to be transferred. Edgar, please comment to confirm that you're able to receive the payment and turn it into water for your family! Once you do, I'll transfer you the 107.113 STEEM, which will become yours at that point. Our wish is that you'll use it to buy water and/or other needs for your family on Christmas.

(El STEEM es líquido en mi cuenta y listo para ser transferido. Edgar, por favor comente para confirmar que usted es capaz de recibir el pago y convertirlo en agua para su familia! Una vez que lo hagas, te transferiré el 107.113 STEEM, que se convertirá en tuyo en ese momento. Nuestro deseo es que lo utilices para comprar agua y/u otras necesidades para tu familia en Navidad.)

It may be a small gesture, but I believe that seeing this success happen will encourage others to envision success for the main project. That boost, combined with passing the 25% barrier this week, could be very beneficial for Mission Agua Possible's future!

To everyone in the Mission Agua Possible 'family', all the contributors and viewers and supporters, to Edgar and his family, and everyone else on the Steem blockchain: Merry Christmas, Happy Solstice, and a wonderful New Year in 2020!

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

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Big thanks to @davedickeyyall for being this cause to my attention. Perfect to find it on the best and most global and social blockchain.

I donated a handful of liquid steem to help you along the way.

Awesome cause.

Posted using Partiko iOS

Much appreciated! Your 7.225 STEEM direct donation will be incorporated into - and mentioned on - the next update, this Saturday. :)
Thank you @zekepickleman, and also to @davedickeyyall for his ongoing support.

It'll be a wet Christmas after all! :) Feliz Navidad

This is awesome! Hopefully Edgar is able to accept the transfer, and turn it into something locally to make his family's Christmas better.
Resteem'd and upvoted.

!tip 1

Thanks to our friend @streetstyle for the 20.0 STEEM direct donation that just came in! We really appreciate that, StreetStyle.

If you have a moment and any vote dust to spare, would you mind taking a look at my recent comments and posts? I've just been attacked by "coininstant" and his alternate accounts, for offending his religion in my post today. He even downvoted Mission Agua Possible!! Those are charity donations he's destroying! :(
If you can help with some defense, thank you. I'll also be asking some of my other "big" friends to step out of the shadows and take care of him if necessary.

Feliz Navidad and Merry Christmas to all. Have a great 2020.... the year we will bring clean running water back to Edgar's neighborhood!

The GIF is of us melting snow to send water to Edgar, LOL jk! :-D

That's incredible! Thank you so much @xpilar and your friends and supporters! Your support means so much to us at Mission Agua Possible. :)))
I encourage everyone to visit your post, give it 100% upvote, and accept your challenge to give direct donations to the project! Thank you for matching each donation of 10 STEEM and more. I hope it creates a surge of support that helps us reach toward 50% completion soon. It's great that we have your support on this. Much love and respect to you and your families over the holiday season.

Hi @drutter

I hope many people see what your project is about and that they will now support it.

Thank you so much! On behalf of everybody else with Mission Agua Possible, thanks, and much love to you and all your team @xpilar :))
Your support is moving us along <3

!BEER

Thank you very much for your 5.0 STEEM direct donation, @phoenixwren!

You're welcome! :)

Merry Christmas to all!
!Tip 1.0

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