Water Wells in Africa—Zoe’s Golden Achievement

Sayville Sophomore Zoe Rivera had an amazing vision. The Girl Scout who had been working independently on the highest Girls Scout achievement—the Gold Award—selected a project that would fulfill the requisite of having a positive impact on a community. However, Zoe chose to broaden the community aspect by relocating her project all the way to Africa.

“Her project was to build a water well in Liberia,” Mrs. Kathy Van Dorn explained about her  former student, “right outside of a school and provide a clean water source to the surrounding villages. In order to accomplish this, she had to raise $3,000 to install the well. This required raising awareness about a less fortunate country within our own community.”  

Zoe gave presentations within the school district to inform her home community about her project and to help raise awareness for the importance of clean water.  Her energy was unstoppable and her ingenuity was enterprising.

“Zoe set up bins to collect loose change at schools and organized fundraisers,” Mrs. Van Dorn continued.  “One of the fundraisers she hosted was a benefit concert which was held at Sayville High School with the Tri-M students, middle school jazz choir and two a capella groups from William Floyd High School. She also arranged a Pancake Fundraiser at Applebee’s in Patchogue.”

The fundraisers along with the loose-change collection added up better than originally hoped. “What an outstanding young lady! Not only did she raise her target goal of $3,000,” Mrs. Van Dorn announced with excitement,  “she ended up raising $6,200!” With more than double the target, Zoe will now be able to fund two water wells for some well-deserving children.

In late March, after Zoe paid the company to build the wells in Liberia, a process expected to take six to eight weeks, the Liberian videographer/photographer associated with the project began sending Zoe photos of her one-time vision, now a reality.