Access to new resource related to solving global social problems added to PM World Library
20 December 2019 – Los Angeles, California, USA – A new resource has been added to the PM World Library (PMWL) related to solving global social problems. The new resource is titled “Wells bring Hope“ and is a Southern California-based non profit organization that sponsors clean water projects in Niger, West Africa, the poorest country in the world (per UN measurements).
Wells bring Hope (WbH) drills wells to bring safe water and sanitation to a region where contaminated water kills innocent victims, most often infants and young children. The burden of getting water usually falls upon women and girls who walk 4-6 back-breaking miles every day to find water. The result? Girls don’t go to school and women have no time to work and earn money for their families.
Officially receiving its non-profit status in 2010 but based on decades of work by Barbara Goldberg and other women, WbH partners with World Vision which does the actual boots on the ground work. 100% of all donations goes to drilling a well. The organization's model is designed to avoid problems faced by other water nonprofits. All employees used to drill the wells are from West Africa and speak the local language and understand the local culture and religions. They have two requirements of villages in return for drilling the wells: 1. The village must contribute a small amount of money so they feel a sense of ownership. 2. The village must create a maintenance committee (half of whom are women), which is trained in sanitation and hygiene and how to build latrines. The committee trains the rest of the village. Once this effort gets underway, the drilling team comes with their drilling rig and drills a deep well down to the water table. Through 2019, WbH has sponsored projects to drill 616 wells and create two solar water systems.
When a new water well is drilled, child mortality drops by 70%, mothers no longer fear that their children will die from unsafe water, girls that no longer have to walk for water can go to school, school absenteeism is reduced by 40%, water becomes available for growing crops, and women have time for income-generating work.
Editor’s Note: The Director of Volunteers for WbH is Ida Harding, well known and respected PMI leader in Los Angeles. Volunteers come from all parts of the U.S. and beyond, are of all faiths, ages, and skin colors, and are all dedicated to saving lives with safe water. Learn more, then consider supporting of this great mission.
To access this resource, go to the Solving Global Problems section of the PMWL at https://pmworldlibrary.net/solving-global-problems/. Under Global Social Problems, select “Access to Clean Water”. Free access; registration and login not required but please consider becoming a member. At least try the Free Trial membership.
