When you drill water wells half way around the world, you need a partner you can rely on. A partner who has integrity and the capability to not only do the work but to insure that the wells drilled continue to be operational and that people served continue to thrive. World Vision does all that and more.
World Vision (WV) is one of the largest humanitarian organizations in the world, with an annual revenue of over $1billion, operating in 100 countries, tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. While WV is a faith-based, Christian organization it serves people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.
Almost everyone who works for WV does so in their home country or region, making them familiar with the culture and language, and bringing a deep, personal understanding of how best to assist people.
World Vision is highly respected for its disaster relief efforts around the world, often “first responders,” providing vital help in an average of 75 disasters a year.
Mamane Amadou
Director of Water Operations
Saley Bako
Chief Driller
World Vision’s water projects around the world have given 11 million people access to clean water and improved sanitation.
In Niger, there are two drilling rigs and a team of highly experienced water engineers with a proven expertise for drilling wells. In our primary drilling area of Maradi, the success rate, e.g., finding water the first time a well is drilled, is 80%. Its staff is comprised of locals who are kind, sensitive, and respectful of villagers who are illiterate and often difficult to educate.
It sets up rain catchment systems in villages to capture the fresh water during the rainy season.
A survey conducted in 2003 by one of World Vision’s partners in the Greater Afram Plains of Ghana sought to determine how many of World Vision’s drilled wells were still functioning, since some of them were constructed as early as 1990.
Results showed that 92.5 percent of the 1,668 wells surveyed still had functioning hand pumps, and 94.5 percent of the wells were still providing an adequate supply of safe water.
These results are encouraging, as, according to UNICEF studies, the estimated failure rate of wells drilled by other organizations is 40 percent to 50 percent after three years, and 80 percent after five years.
These results are encouraging, as, according to UNICEF studies, the estimated failure rate of wells drilled by other organizations is 40 percent to 50 percent after three years, and 80 percent after five years.
World Vision’s high rate of functioning wells can be attributed to its effective well construction methods, capacity building on repair and maintenance provided to communities, and WVs ADP (Area Development Program) framework, which helps guarantee sustainability.
What ensures World Vision’s sustainability:
- Effective well construction methods
- a Capacity building on repair and maintenance provided to communities
- It’s Area Development Program, people on the ground to provide help.
WASH stands for “Water, Sanitation, Hygiene” and it is something that many organizations, including UNICEF, Care, our partner, World Vision, and us are dedicated to.
World Vision’s water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs approach the world’s challenges for safe water, improved sanitation, and good hygiene in an integrated manner to optimize the positive health and economic impacts. “Safe” water addresses water quality to prevent water-related diseases and also and be close enough to homes to encourage use of the water source. Sanitation involves both physical infrastructure, such as latrines, and also the use and maintenance of the sanitation facilities. Good hygiene is the practice of cleanliness, like hand and face washing, to prevent disease.
Drilling a well is the first step in saving lives, that education on good sanitation and hygiene practices must be part of the equation to truly impact the health of a community.
World Vision plans to raise $250 million over the next five years, beginning year end, 2011, to initiate or expand WASH programs in 16 countries where access to improved water and sanitation remains unacceptably low, and where the capacity for effective programs is relatively high. Resources will be invested in a phased approach, beginning in eight countries in Africa, including Niger and Mali.
The West Africa Water Initiative (WAWI) is a partnership of thirteen international public and private organizations and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation is the chief architect. WAWI was born from the combined experience of the Hilton Foundation, World Vision and other partners in Ghana to provide rural water supply and sanitation as the entry point for community development.
WAWI officially began in 2002, with the goal of promoting increased access to safe water in Ghana, Mali, and Niger.
WAWI aims to reduce, if not eliminate, the incidence of water-borne diseases–blinding trachoma, guinea worm, and diarrhea. Over 1 million people have benefited from its work.
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