History

During our (see contacts) cooperation (replacement of the military obligations) at the technical school of Fada N 'Gourma, in the east of Burkina Faso (1996-1999) we built friendship relations with one of our colleague, Wefi Dialo. On several occasions we accompanied him to Koare, a village 7 km away from Fada N'Gourma, to greet his uncles. We were struck by the warm welcome, and the way the concessions were tidy and clean.

Prolonged stays in this village lead us to note that there was no drinkable water nearby. During the dry season, even the deepest wells dry and women had to fetch water several kilometres away from the village. A water drawn in a backwater, slurry.

The villagers created the “Tabital Lobal” (“hope in a better life”) association and made several demands to get funding for a pump: contacts with associations, applications to the ministry. None of these get through. In July 2001, we went back to Burkina and returned to the village. The project was more elaborated; the villagers, 450 people at that time, had agreed on the way a pump could be managed.

The farmers could participate at up to 600 euro for investment and would take over the maintenance (A monthly fee would be paid by all families using the installation)

The estimated cost of the project was € 9100 and included:

• The about sixty meters drilling itself: € 7200 (taking into account the possible negative trials)
• The installation of a hand pump and masonry structures surrounding the drilling.
• The measure of the water flow and water analyses.
• The training of villagers for maintenance, operation: 600 €
• A provision for maintenance: € 1300

The realisation was plan to be done by the OCADES DIOCESAINE (A branch of Caritas International).

After checking that we could collect the required sum, the association was created in France and Switzerland in February 2003 and we started collecting founds. After one year of collect the total donations was up  € 7800 and we decided to start drilling.

Since January 2004 the pump has been in operation in the village of Koare. It became a central place  in the village.

This source of drinkable water significantly reduced the frequency of disease, especially among children. It also helped develop small cattle livestock (goats, sheep) and to settle the families. The village although had to face a number of challenges: Increase in population, funding of the expenses related to the maintenance of the pump.

In 2007 a survey reported that 700 people now live in Koare. The villagers have new projects to develop their village. Especially urgent is the set up of the cereal bank to help the poorest overcome the present difficulties: Bad harvests, dramatic increase of the cereal prices, low cattle prices.

Many thanks on the part of villagers to all who already helped us! 

For more information on the current projects have a look at the project section.