WATER
WE BUILD WELLS
VIDEO ABOUT INDIA WELL PROJECT – 2018
WATER IS LIFE
Why Access to Clean Water Matters
What would you do if every day you had to walk for hours to get water? Sometimes you might even need to climb steep terrain, or walk on damaged roads, carrying heavy containers for miles.
It’s very different than just turning on the tap!
In the US, we use 25 gallons of water to take a bath, but everyday in many parts of the world, women carry that much over long distances to their families. Often they start doing this as young as the age of 3.
Sometimes the water source is a well, sometimes it is a watering hole or area where seepage may occur. We see women digging into the earth and scooping up muddy water and sand. It may seem odd to do that, but when you worry about your survival it makes perfect sense.
For us we feel there must be a better way. A way where families and communities can access fresh, safe water that is nearby. A way where they do not have to compromise the health of their loved ones simply because the best water source is also shared with the animals of the village.
We work directly with communities to designate the best locations for wells so as to achieve the most impact. We engage the community to develop a plan for ongoing maintenance of the well so that it can serve them for many years. We also explore sustainable technologies, such as solar, so that pumps and equipment are easily maintained.
In the end, a centrally located fresh water well has many benefits. It reduces disease and water-borne pathogens. It supports the young women of the community, who spend less time gathering water and more time in school gaining an education.
We see these changes occur every day, and by supporting Wisdom Spring you help us continue that mission.
Our Actions
- Raised over $700,000 towards the building of wells.
- Built 37 wells in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya and India.
- Currently working with partners to expand work into other countries that need support.
- Added a fundraising walk on the West Coast to expand awareness and engage youth in this essential work.
Our Vision
- Continue to bring awareness to this important isssue.
- Expand our work from West Africa to include new sites in Kenya, India, Nepal and other countries.
- Look at other approaches to water issues, especially how to protect current wells and build out support for livestock use.
- Explore solutions outside of well digging.
WATER
INITIATIVES
There are many ways someone can contribute to a water project and the creation of a well. The general cost of a well varies from country to country. In Burkina Faso we have found that most wells cost around $10,000 US. Over the years we built connections with various drilling companies able to give us reasonable prices. This takes time, however, and resources on the ground.
However in a place like Kenya the costs at times are higher. When we explored doing a well in Southern Kenya with the Maasai community, it was clear that drilling the well (or borehole as it is called there) would cost far more. Some of this is that the terrain provides more challenges, but also a productive well in that region requires accommodation for the high volume of domesticated animals that utilize the water sources as well.
One well we visited handles 1,000’s of cattle, sheep and goats a day. If separate and reinforced watering troughs are not created then the entire area becomes contaminated and often destroyed by the passage of those animals near the site. As a result more infrastructure is required, leading to highter costs.
So far our experience in India and Nepal appears to be a mix of the other countries. India is generally about $10,000 a well, while Nepal is much higher. Thankfully these partnerships are growing and our hope is for many projects in both regions.
Although people often donate directly for a well, many of our contributors attend one of our fundraising events every year. Walking For Water has grown from a simple idea, thought up by a Leesburg Virgina highschool student, to our main source of community support and donations.
WATER
INITIATIVES
There are many ways someone can contribute to a water project and the creation of a well. The general cost of a well varies from country to country. In Burkina Faso we have found that most wells cost around $10,000 US. Over the years we built connections with various drilling companies able to give us reasonable prices. This takes time, however, and resources on the ground.
However in a place like Kenya the costs at times are higher. When we explored doing a well in Southern Kenya with the Maasai community, it was clear that drilling the well (or borehole as it is called there) would cost far more. Some of this is that the terrain provides more challenges, but also a productive well in that region requires accommodation for the high volume of domesticated animals that utilize the water sources as well.
One well we visited handles 1,000’s of cattle, sheep and goats a day. If separate and reinforced watering troughs are not created then the entire area becomes contaminated and often destroyed by the passage of those animals near the site. As a result more infrastructure is required, leading to highter costs.
So far our experience in India and Nepal appears to be a mix of the other countries. India is generally about $10,000 a well, while Nepal is much higher. Thankfully these partnerships are growing and our hope is for many projects in both regions.
Although people often donate directly for a well, many of our contributors attend one of our fundraising events every year. Walking For Water has grown from a simple idea, thought up by a Leesburg Virgina highschool student, to our main source of community support and donations.
WATER
INITIATIVES
There are many ways someone can contribute to a water project and the creation of a well. The general cost of a well varies from country to country. In Burkina Faso we have found that most wells cost around $10,000 US. Over the years we built connections with various drilling companies able to give us reasonable prices. This takes time, however, and resources on the ground.
However in a place like Kenya the costs at times are higher. When we explored doing a well in Southern Kenya with the Maasai community, it was clear that drilling the well (or borehole as it is called there) would cost far more. Some of this is that the terrain provides more challenges, but also a productive well in that region requires accommodation for the high volume of domesticated animals that utilize the water sources as well.
One well we visited handles 1,000’s of cattle, sheep and goats a day. If separate and reinforced watering troughs are not created then the entire area becomes contaminated and often destroyed by the passage of those animals near the site. As a result more infrastructure is required, leading to highter costs.
So far our experience in India and Nepal appears to be a mix of the other countries. India is generally about $10,000 a well, while Nepal is much higher. Thankfully these partnerships are growing and our hope is for many projects in both regions.
Although people often donate directly for a well, many of our contributors attend one of our fundraising events every year. Walking For Water has grown from a simple idea, thought up by a Leesburg Virgina highschool student, to our main source of community support and donations.