Africare has sent AWF a progress report on a water project in Chad. This water project is part of a larger initiative that aims to economically empower women entrepreneurs in southern Chad. When complete, the AWF-funded water project will result in the construction of 11 hand-dug wells or drilled bore holes equipped with hand pumps, the installation of hand washing stations, the installation of ventilated pit latrines, and construction and hygiene training for residents of the project communities.
The project was in part funded with grant money AWF received in the Chase Community Giving challenge.
Construction began this summer with wells bored in Kome, Bebedija, Mbikou and Doba.
Total construction time for the Kobe well took one week with dynamic ground water reached at 36 meters deep. Construction was delayed by two days due to heavy rain. Filtering pipes were installed to purify the water before the well was used.
The 38-meters-deep Bebedija well project took five days and construction team members had to overcome the problem of water leaking through underground canals that reached the traditional well. This issue was solved when the team abandoned the first worked, filled the hole and moved the well by a few meters.
Boring on the Mbikou well failed after two attempts when a large stone was discovered at a depth of 20 meters. Another well site was selected at Bebedja that could be used by the group from Mbikou.
It took the Doba team two days to reach groundwater at a depth of 29 meters. This project had no complications and was completed on July 6.
“In conclusion, well boring in general took place in good conditions except the case of Mbikou that was addressed through the selection of a new site in Bebedja,” Africare reported. “The groundwater reached in every place is abundant and of good quality. Well boring for the various groups met a real need, because in the selected sites people lacked potable water. It must also be pointed out that women contributed a lot for effective well boring on each site.”
To read the project proposal and progress report, click here.
