FiftyFifty.eu, social magazine
FiftyFifty.eu


Families in Sri Lanka have the joy of new wells, and learn to take care of them

"My parents often fret because of lack of water. In the dry season the water ever been in our entire village. Until then brought one machine as big as a truck and began to burrow into the ground. Then someone called "30 meters", and soon began to flow from the ground water, all around is very glad. Now we have well just a few meters from the house, "says a boy of eight Rabeeshan living with his family in a village near the town of Kuchaveli in the east of Sri Lanka.

Rabeeshanovi parents lived initially at another location near the coast, in 2004, however, all prepared by a devastating tsunami. If they do then a few months later was born Rabeeshan were resettled in new villages further inland. Although got a beautiful new house, but, as in many other areas in Sri Lanka and there had to contend with a lack of safe drinking water. In the village around it, although several wells, some of them were dirty or water in them was salty. Even though this water in times of drought disappeared completely - well simply dried up.

Branch organization ADRA Sri Lanka has been almost twenty years and building or repairing water sources in rural communities make up a large part of its activities. Also, because ADRA own - one of the few organizations - the drill rig, which makes it able to dig a well to a few tens of meters below the surface. The only way to ensure the water supply, which is at lower risk of regular drying. The last project for which the sum of $ 15,000 has also contributed ADRA Czech Republic, in the region of Trincomalee and Batticoloa built 35 wells with an average depth of 30 meters. The deepest well, but extends to a depth of 60 meters. Most of them stands directly in the villages, four are part of the school grounds and one well was constructed at the hospital. Improved access to water and received 1,050 families, or approximately 4,200 people.

The actual drilling was preceded by a detailed survey sources. In total, 82 exploration wells due to contamination with salt, most sites did not comply. Drilled wells were then fitted with a hand pump and the built retaining wall with tanks to capture water that can be used for cleaning and washing. The construction of wells were hired local construction workers, one of whom was Rabeeshanův father. "Daddy got tools and parts to repair the pump and will now take care of the pump to neporouchala," he says proudly Rabeeshan. At each site was not created committee of local residents, the task of management of water resources, its regular inspection or repairs. Men were therefore trained in dealing with the pump and get to the necessary tools. Otherwise committees but 80% are women, which follows the traditional division of roles in the family, when procuring water was always the responsibility of women.

Rabeeshanovi make parents as well as other residents of villages with new wells attended the training, which is familiar with the basic rules of prevention of infectious diseases and water-borne diseases. Each school was then put up 800 posters that illustrate using pictures remind children basic hygiene, food storage over from personal hygiene to maintain cleanliness around the water source. ADRA also after putting wells into operation conducted water quality tests, in order to truly confirm its safety. Of all the 35 wells can people today feel free to draw drinking water quality.

Did you?

2013 was declared the International Year of Water Cooperation
1.6 billion people live in countries with a critical shortage of water
783 million people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water
3.5 million people die annually due to lack of water or water-borne infections due to



Source: tz ADRA

Like FiftyFifty article:

All articles 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013 on FiftyFifty.eu