There was one thing that bothered me. As I watched the people gather by the hundreds to come to our mobile medical clinic and listened to the doctors’ descriptions of the people’s medical conditions, I realized that most of what we were seeing could be solved. The doctors explained this was a water crisis. Clean water would help more than anything else. The problem was that the water that was available for the Africans to use for drinking and cooking was the same water that they used for their animals, bathing, and washing. The problem became even worse during the dry season because not only were their water sources contaminated, the dry season made the daily walk for water even longer. This problem affects everyone, but seems to be harder on the women and young girls because it is the custom for them to collect the water. Most walked an average of 10 miles a day to get water for their families.
I knew that clean safe water would change their lives. That summer, I started researching what it would take to provide water to these people. I knew nothing about well drilling, water quality or even what equipment it took to drill through rocks. I first started looking for organizations that I could partner with and found a couple. My problem with that was finding one that would drill in the area of Tanzania that I was interested in helping. And so began the waiting.
Summer 2009:
Things have moved very quickly since then. We now have a web designer, a banker/grant writer, a geologist, a well driller, a water and sanitation person, a CPA, a social networking professional, a ship to carry equipment to Africa, a board of directors and a team of people ready and waiting for our first trip. All of that happened in a just a few months.
Things have moved very quickly since then. We now have a web designer, a banker/grant writer, a geologist, a well driller, a water and sanitation person, a CPA, a social networking professional, a ship to carry equipment to Africa, a board of directors and a team of people ready and waiting for our first trip. All of that happened in a just a few months.
Summer 2010:
We were blessed to go to Tanzania in July of 2010 for our first trip. After drilling for 2 days to a depth of almost 2 football fields, we struck water. There was so much water and it was so deep that a traditional hand pump would not work. Right now, we are raising funds to purchase a 40 foot tall windmill, holding tank and tower, and piping for a second distribution site. This will continually pump water to the 5,000+ people of the village of Endashangwet. It is estimated that the windmill will pump between 5,000 and 12,000 liters per hour. The people of the village are hand digging a retaining pond for excess water so that their animals may also enjoy clean water free from disease. Plans are also being made to use the overflow from that retaining pond to help irrigate crops. We hope you can join us on this adventure as we continue to “Dig Deep and Give Well!” (Dig Deep Give Well is a 501c3, nonprofit organization. Therefore, all donations are tax deductible.)
We were blessed to go to Tanzania in July of 2010 for our first trip. After drilling for 2 days to a depth of almost 2 football fields, we struck water. There was so much water and it was so deep that a traditional hand pump would not work. Right now, we are raising funds to purchase a 40 foot tall windmill, holding tank and tower, and piping for a second distribution site. This will continually pump water to the 5,000+ people of the village of Endashangwet. It is estimated that the windmill will pump between 5,000 and 12,000 liters per hour. The people of the village are hand digging a retaining pond for excess water so that their animals may also enjoy clean water free from disease. Plans are also being made to use the overflow from that retaining pond to help irrigate crops. We hope you can join us on this adventure as we continue to “Dig Deep and Give Well!” (Dig Deep Give Well is a 501c3, nonprofit organization. Therefore, all donations are tax deductible.)