Want to DOUBLE your [Mission: Agua-Possible] donation this week?! We'll match your contribution, STEEM for STEEM!

It's week 49 of Mission: Agua-Possible! I'm DRutter. 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, and 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

About a year ago, I found Hive account@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 photographed shuttered businesses this week. Hyperinflation and extreme poverty has decimated the Venezuelan economy. )

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.

Forward progress again, finally!

After months of nonstop currency devaluation, the USD value of STEEM finally bounced off a low this week, and is up slightly to 0.19 USD. On top of that, I offered to match any donations this week, and that generated a massive influx of STEEM! Huge thanks to Hive account@kunschj, who kicked in 250, which became a 500 STEEM donation after my match! That's huge!

We also got donations from Melinda and John, and a few others, which were ALL doubled via my personal funds before being added to the MAP total! See the full breakdown below, and our new all-time high progress.

Will you make the water flow, with us?

Much appreciation to those who upvoted last week:

Week 49

week 48 funds: 888.773 Steem

new funds:

• week 48 post payout = 0.002 SBD, 1.388 STEEM and 1.402 STEEM POWER = 2.804 Steem
• 250.0 STEEM direct donation from Hive account@kunschj
• 250.0 STEEM donation match from me
• 5.0 STEEM direct donation from Hive account@melinda010100
• 5.0 STEEM donation match from me
• 1.5 STEEM direct donation from Hive account@greatesteem
• 1.5 STEEM donation match from me
• 20.0 STEEM direct donation from Hive account@jk6276
• 20.0 STEEM donation match from me
• 1.0 STEEM direct donation from Hive account@hempy
• 1.0 STEEM donation match from me
• you can send me Steem directly and your donation will be noted here

Total funds: 1446.577 Steem

x 0.189 USD/Steem = $273.40 USD (of $1300)

Current progress: 21.0%

Thanks to a break from the STEEM price collapse, and the massive donation haul, we surged ahead to 21% complete this week! Congratulations everybody!!

And as mentioned in the thread title, your chance to get donations matched isn't over!

Hive account@kunschj will match your donations this week, STEEM for STEEM!

I think it's a great idea, and generous offer. Thank you Hive account@kunschj for keeping the momentum going!

Let's take advantage of the STEEM price while it's still cheap, and move that progress bar again!

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