Diving Deep into the Water Wells Project: Uncovering Essential Lessons and Insights

 

In December last year, as a way to thank our clients, Human Risks has gotten in touch with the Walking for Water charity, which partnered with EcoWater Solution SL Ltd. to create two boreholes supplying clean drinking water to Masuri Village in Sierra Leone.

This project is now over, with the water wells created and used on a daily basis by the local community. However, we decided to check in with the project coordinator, Benson Kandeh, to look back at the experience, reflect and draw important conclusions on how far-reaching consequences the lack of easy access to drinking water has on human lives.

Key Takeaways

1. The great distance that people had to walk in search of clean drinking water was the main challenge for the local community. Sadly, even after a long and strenuous search, their water source was still far from safe. Moreover, the children had to fetch water every morning before going to school, often making them late and missing out on classes, which eventually would lead to them getting punished and expelled.  Women in the local community also had to fetch the water, which was extremely physically demanding and time-consuming. It also has led to them not being home for long and having less time to tend to other household chores, such as cooking, which contributed to rising tension in the families.

2. Since installing the wells, locals have developed a garden nearby. This garden is sustained with the water from the pump and is a great source of food, further contributing to the health and wellbeing of the villagers. Children can just go to school normally, are there on time and have enough time to study and play.

3. Access to safe drinking water is a basic human right but it’s sad to know that millions of people are living out there that don’t have access to it. Water is life. By supporting projects like this, countless lives can be saved and improved. It is not only positively affecting the life quality and health, but it is also restoring hope.

Those key takeaways show how far-reaching are the consequences of ESG concerns. Not only did this project contribute to bettering the living conditions and health of the villagers, but also it made children more likely to receive an education and enjoy nutritious meals.

Here at Human Risks, we hope that we will be able to continue making a positive impact on the lives of real people.

Click here to learn more about Walking for Water and discover different projects that need your support.