Posting by LeahThe Water4 Foundation, a 501(c)3 public charity based out of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, has developed a unique drilling technique based on centuries-old technology that utilizes common materials for hand drilling water wells up to 40 meters (130 feet). Their specific model teaches locals the ability to manufacture the drilling tools they need within the impoverished areas where they are being used.
Water4 Foundation, started in 2008 by Dick and Terri Greenly, co-owners of Pumps of Oklahoma. Since its inception in 2008, Water4 has helped meet the needs of over 100,000 people for reasonable access to clean drinking water in countries like Haiti, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Rwanda. Water4’s 2014 goal is to get water to a million people. After 2014 with Water4’s continued efforts, Water4 should be able to expand the number of people reached each year thereafter.
Not only is Water4 providing clean water to impoverished areas as many wonderful charities do, but what makes them unique is the creation of employment by training the men and women in the village how to drill, set the pipe, make and install the water pump.
The organization hopes to advance the health and prosperity of those populations and to act as a catalyst to stimulate the local economies–Girls can go to school, men have jobs, women can grow food.
One drill kit has the capability of building 100 wells–bringing clean water to over 20,000 people.
The Need For Water
- As many as 1.2 billion people lack access or reasonable access to clean drinking water. 3.575 million people die each year from water-related disease, which makes it more deadly than any war.
- In the developing world, 24,000 children under the age of five die every day from preventable causes like diarrhea contracted from unclean water. Diarrhea alone kills more young children than AIDS, malaria, and measles combined.
- An American taking a five-minute shower uses more water than a typical person in a developing country uses in a whole day.
For more information please visit http://www.water4.org
(Source: Water4)
