This is the final week of [ Mission: Agua-Possible ] and our last chance to help Edgar and his family!

This is DRutter, bringing you the 79^th 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 harvested bananas from his trees this week, showing how he cleans the plants to protect them from the drought. As the pandemic hits Venezuela, food prices went up even higher, making his family even more reliant on the food his plot can produce. )

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.

The community is stepping up for a last push!

After deciding to close the project after 2 additional weeks, most of the community was supportive and understanding, although disappointed. Then, @Xpilar posted an excellent support post, with all proceeds coming to the project! Thank you so much Xpilar for your thoughtfulness and generosity.

Donations and upvotes were slightly lighter than usual last week, perhaps due to people not wanting to contribute to a project that isn't going to reach 100% completion. I can understand that.

Nevertheless, there's one week left, and all donations received, along with the proceeds of this post (and Xpilar's), will end up on that final total. Absolutely everything received and earned, and a lot more, is going to Edgar. Let's make it as close to that 1300 USD pump pricetag as we can!

Will you make the water flow, with us?

Much appreciation to those who upvoted last week:

Week 79

week 78 funds: 4369.841 STEEM

new funds:

• week 78 post payout = 1.708 SBD, 1.833 STEEM and 10.779 STEEM POWER = ~20 STEEM
• 100.0 STEEM direct donation from @Xpilar and @Sultan-aceh
• 14.303 SBD (52.391 STEEM) direct donation from @Fishyculture
• you can send me cryptocurrency directly and your donation will be noted here

Total funds: 4543.79 STEEM

x 0.205 USD/STEEM = $931.48 USD (of $1300)

Current progress: 71.7%

Back up to 72% makes this our 2^nd closest week yet!

Amazingly, STEEM was $0.4 for a brief moment this week - twice what it is now. In other words, with the right timing and trading accounts set up, we could be within striking distance of our goal.

That said, I can't trade in and out of currencies, in an attempt to make profits for the project. This tactic was suggested early on, specifically in reference to trading between STEEM and SBD (or STEEM and BTC). Then, and now, my answer is the same: What if I did that, and LOST money? Not every investment is a winner. I'd do my best, but eventually, there would be a loss. Would I be held accountable for that? What if I invested and lost most or all of the funds? Wouldn't people who had contributed be upset? Of course they would! Hopefully you see why I've simply stuck to the original plan - accumulate STEEM until it is worth 1300 USD and then transfer it to Edgar.

I'm sticking with that plan and will simply be transferring Edgar the accumulated STEEM, following next week's post. Perhaps he'll be able to convert it to USD at just the right moment, and get enough to purchase the pump? Who knows. But let's give him the best chance possible, and stack up as much STEEM for him this week as we can!

Thank you SO much to everybody who has been involved over the past year and a half! It has been an interesting and rewarding journey for me. I hope you've enjoyed following along, learned something, and felt empowered to be part of a grassroots community effort to help one of our own. Good luck to everyone during this worldwide pandemic and complete change to our societies.

See you next Saturday for the conclusion of our Mission Agua Possible adventure!

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