Upvotes, resteems, and comments help push [Mission: Agua-Possible] closer to helping thirsty Venezuelans!

Hi, I'm DRutter, and this is the 56^th weekly update of Mission: Agua-Possible! 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, 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

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, 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.

( Edgar wrote about his plantation being targeted by thieves this week: "That is why I now spend more time in my good plantation taking care of what little I have left, since I continue with my damaged water well." )

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.

Mission Agua Possible is back in action!

I've been less active on the blockchain for a few weeks, during the birth of my son. We're settling back in at home, and I'm ready to continue advocating for the purchase of this pump!

Will you make the water flow, with us?

Much appreciation to those who upvoted last week:

Week 56

week 55 funds: 1755.682 Steem

new funds:

• week 55 post payout = 1.240 STEEM and 1.241 = 2.481 Steem
• 0.25 STEEM direct donation from @GirlsofGreen
• 0.25 STEEM direct donation from @hempy
• 0.25 STEEM direct donation from @greatesteem
• 0.25 STEEM direct donation from @MediKatie
• you can send me Steem directly and your donation will be noted here

Total funds: 1759.163 Steem

x 0.140 USD/Steem = $246.28 USD (of $1300)

Current progress: 19.0%

Despite STEEM hovering at the miserable price of 14 cents, our progress hasn't fallen much below 20% (currently 19%). What will it take to get us the rest of the way? Either a huge injection of funds, or the price of STEEM to stop crashing. The sooner the crypto markets recover, the sooner we'll be able to afford the pump!

This would be a great post to resteem, to help us get new eyes on the project - thank you! Upvotes and direct donations always help, too. If we can get this post to the $10 payout range, it won't be pillaged to boost other posts. HF21 really didn't do us any favours, since now half our donations are returned back to the donors, and some of the donations end up going to other posts. Very little is able to reach us and advance our progress meter anymore.

If you have a moment to leave a comment, please let me know: Do you check out the Mission Agua Possible posts regularly? Do you feel the concept, progress updates, and information presented add value? Aside from the basic charity aspect of what we're doing, do you get anything out of this project? Please let me know your thoughts on this! There are no wrong answers :)

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