Help Villagers in Benin Access Safe, Clean Water

We are so close to getting the solar-powered clean water station installed and running in Bouka, a village in the Kalalé District of Benin. You may wonder what’s been taking so long. After all, how hard can it be to identify a community in need and make the installation?  It’s harder than you might think, according to one of SELF’s project managers, Jean-Baptiste Certain:

“Most people think that installing units is the hardest part. It’s just the opposite: One day, and it’s done, training included. But finding the right community, setting up the system in a sustainable way, verifying that we’re not going to damage an existing project, tapping into pre-existing water infrastructures…the whole social aspect of this work is actually huge. It takes a lot of time, care, and knowledge of the field, and it can sometimes be costly. It is true that nothing’s easy, except for the installation, but we can never lose sight of the fact that it is worth it. The clean water stations save lives.”

Our last hurdle on the Bouka project is customs. All of the necessary equipment has arrived in Benin, however, recent changes in customs regulations have delayed its delivery to Bouka.  It is difficult for the community to know that each day that passes is another day without clean water, but they are eagerly anticipating the arrival of the equipment so that the installation can begin. We are hoping that the equipment will be released within a month.

Not wanting to cause any delays on top of those beyond our control, we have gone ahead and ordered all of the equipment for the Bouka project with faith that we can raise the remaining $1,200 to cover installation. Please consider helping us reach our goal as soon as possible so that we can deliver a clean water station to the people of Bouka during the upcoming holiday season.