Social responsibility - Water is flowing in Burkina Faso
In December 2022, we started a new three-year program together with Caritas Tirol. A new well will supply a village in Burkina Faso with water, and a larger area will be irrigated and planted.
In addition to the supply of drinking water, the well construction will also focus on training in hygiene and disease prevention, as well as the cultivation of fruit and vegetables. Vegetable fields are created and fruit trees are planted. Agricultural experts provide support in the production of fertilizer and biological pest control. A well construction project not only gives the villagers access to clean drinking water, but also gives them the opportunity to eat a more varied and better food and to secure a small additional income by selling fruit and vegetables.
Water in Kaya - a precious, fertile miracle
Kaya, in the Centre-Nord region of Burkina Faso, is located on the edge of the Sahel region of West Africa. The people there make a living from agriculture and livestock, but advancing climate change is making life more difficult for them. Lack of rainfall, a falling groundwater level and degraded soils are all contributing to a lack of abundant harvests. There is a shortage of essential foodstuffs in the preparation of meals. Many families, especially children, suffer from hunger.
But the women in the Kaya region are facing up to climate change. They want to improve the food situation of their families and organize themselves into groups. Their goal is to gather knowledge about growing vegetables and raising sheep and goats.
They want to learn sustainable methods of agricultural land use, as well as to use functional tools to produce enough food despite the more difficult climate conditions. For this purpose, the women participate in trainings to learn more about resource-conserving soil management and improvement of soil fertility. They also learn how to process and preserve their own produce.
In time lapse: How a well is constructed
A village registers the need for a well
Socio-economic survey and needs assessment
Close cooperation with the local government
Geophysical study to determine the feasibility and location of the well
Clarification of key selection criteria (including compliance with the government's poverty reduction strategy, motivation and commitment of the applicants)
Contract for the villagers' own contribution (e.g. cooperation in construction, feeding of the well builders, provision of construction materials, financial participation)
Design and construction of the well by local partners
Formation of a well committee and training in hygiene
Together with Caritas Tirol we are looking forward to the success of the new aid project.
