There are at least 48 families whose wells have run dry due to the drought. These have been identified from polling the 134 families who received a well with the help of your financial donations. There are also 9 wells needing repairs and 6 needing new tops.
The dry or damaged well family must go to their neighbors to get water, which exposes the families to each other, even when practicing good Covid-19 standards. We were budgeting $85 per well to deepen, but as they began we found that they could not find water and the well diggers need another $30 to continue deepening. They went an extra couple of meters. This will require more bricks as well as more cement. Each well is unique so we can’t nail down the price. Bricks have been purchased and the well deepening is beginning immediately.
There are far more in the area who are struggling with a lack of water, and actually need wells, which we have been collaborating to construct for $300 per well for many years. Now, as they go into the dry season, is a perfect time to build. Read more about well building here.