Drill Wells to Save Lives & Empower Women & Girls

Since Wells Bring Hope started in 2008, we have funded 681 handpump wells in Niger, West Africa, the poorest country in the world. These wells ensure that villages have access to a safe water source and that women and girls don't have to spend all day walking for water. In short, bringing water to a rural village transforms lives for generations to come.

However, while getting water from a handpump well is infinitely easier than walking miles and pulling up water from an open well, it is still labor intensive and difficult for older women and the disabled. That is why we are very excited to announce that in the coming months, we will be transitioning to funding only fully mechanized, solar-powered wells.

These technologically superior wells make accessing safe, clean water as simple as turning on a tap. In short, they provide the people of Niger with an experience that is similar to our own when it comes to accessing water. When a fully mechanized water system is installed, water is pumped to the surface and piped to water points or what we refer to as “taps” throughout the village. It is our goal and the goal of our partner World Vision for there to be one tap for every 250 people in a village. This ensures that women don't have to wait in long lines to fill their water vessels and that everyone in the village, including the very young, the very old, and the infirm can access safe water with ease.

We are proud of every handpump well that we have funded in Niger (including the three recently drilled wells pictured below!), but we are also incredibly excited that there is now affordable technology that will provide the women of Niger with the dignity of running water in their communities.