We're over half way! Join [ Mission: Agua-Possible ] as we help a fellow Steemian from Venezuela!

I'm DRutter, and here's the 73^rd 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 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 and internet blackouts happen regularly. 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 nearby families. Without a pump to bring water up from the aquifer, his harvests are reduced - and the neighborhood must forage for water elsewhere.

( Edgar photographed some rundown neighborhoods in a nearby fishing village this week. )

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! It is vital we get this pump for the farm as soon as possible.

11% jump in value of our STEEM holdings!

The STEEM price moved up from 0.18 to 0.20 this week, a boost of 11% to our holdings, sending us well over 50% complete already!

This coupled with an excellent week for upvotes AND for direct donations! Thank you to @Xpilar, @Streetstyle, @Pennsif, @Stef1, @Reflektor, @Kunschj, @Canadian-coconut, @Hingsten, and more - see below for details.

Will you make the water flow, with us?

Much appreciation to those who upvoted last week:

Week 73

week 72 funds: 3455.177 Steem

new funds:

• week 72 post payout = 1.576 SBD, 6.823 STEEM, 14.516 STEEM POWER = 29.032 Steem
• 20.0 STEEM direct donation 1 from @Streetstyle in memory of Kobe Bryant
• 20.0 STEEM direct donation 2 from @Streetstyle in memory of Kobe Bryant
• 30.0 STEEM direct donation from @Streetstyle and Spudx
• 0.1 STEEM tip from @ninahaskin
• 30.0 STEEM direct donation from @Stef1 and @art-venture
• 50.0 STEEM direct donation from @Reflektor
• 100.0 STEEM direct donation from @Kunschj
• 106.477 STEEM via SBD donation from @pennsif and @adollaraday
• 16.4 STEEM via my support post payout
• 1.0 STEEM direct donation from @MediKatie
• you can send me Steem directly and your donation will be noted here

Total funds: 3857.186 Steem

x 0.199 USD/Steem = $767.58 USD (of $1300)

Current progress: 59.0%

Strong community support is combining with a recovery in STEEM prices to bring our project past the half way mark! Thank you to everybody involved!

We collectively decided at the start of this year to finish [MAP] by the half-way point, July 1^st, and that goal is definitely within sight!

As we continue to gather funds, and hopefully see their value increase as the crypto bull market resumes, we will move toward full funding, and focus will shift toward collecting the funds for transfer to Edgar, and preparation for the pump purchase! It's going to be very exciting to see our efforts finally have an effect.

What Edgar can do next

Hi Edgar! (What many people may not know, is that 100% of this project has occurred on-chain, which means Edgar and I found each other here, made friends here, this is where I decided to help him with his sudden pump failure, and this is where all communication has taken place. When the funds are ready, this is also how they'll be transferred. It's a 100% Steem blockchain operation, from start to finish.)

So in this section I'd like to ask Edgar to start to work on a few things:

• please confirm that you are able to locate a suitable steel pump of sufficient quality
• will 1300 USD be enough for the pump AND installation, or will you need a little more than 1300?
• is the aquifer site ready for installation of a new pump?
• what about security? (it would be terrible to install the pump and have thieves or vandals ruin it)

There's no great rush, but please think about these issues, Edgar. Soon we'll need to finalize some numbers and plans. Thank you!

To the supporters

This couldn't be happening without every one of you. I started it all by myself, and was alone at first, but you've become involved over the past 73 weeks, and now I stand a chance of reaching my goal. Without you, it would just be me, and it would take many years to complete. So: THANK YOU!

Upvotes, donations, comments, resteems, and every other form of support are greatly appreciated! I know Edgar's heart is warmed each time he sees our effort and our progress. He's doing his best to keep his family fed and healthy during the turmoil in his country. When we come through with this pump, returning water to his house, farm, and neighborhood, it's going to help restore some stability to his life.

If I was ever in a really bad situation, I think my fellow Steemians would do what they could to help me. I'm really glad we're able to work together and do something like that for someone who needs it.

If you're not already involved in this fun, rewarding, and powerful experience, why not? Every action helps - big or small!

Thank you, everyone, for keeping the positive vibes flowing, and helping to see [MAP] through to completion. Every week brings us closer to that eventual post announcing 100% funding, leading to clean water flowing on Edgar's land.

Upvoting this post is MUCH appreciated! 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