Summary
The Give Water Give Life programme is self-help. Improving the resilience and livelihoods of the rural poor is possible by having villagers develop and build rainwater catchment basins - thus providing them water year round. With water in the villages of Djomga and Kamsi in Burkina Faso, over 600 girls can now go to school. Solar power is needed to improve the sustainability of the villages. Solar lighting will enable the girls to study - even after the sun sets.
What is the issue, problem, or challenge?
Girl's are under enrolled in school in sub Saharan Africa. One reason for this may surprise you: it is the lack of access to water in rural areas. What is the link? Culturally, it is the women and girl's who are tasked with accessing water for daily household use. Most often it is the girls between 6 and 13 years old that spend hours with their mothers walking up to four or more miles a day to carry water from remote collection points to their homes. And no electricity exists.How will this project solve this problem?
Community Building Group responds to this need by having villagers develop and build rainwater catchment basins - thus providing water year round. In two villages, Djomga and Kamsi, water is available and over 600 girls are now free to go to school. Give Water Give Life's commitment is to their success in education. The main objective of the Solar Powered Lights for Girls is to have 24 condensed solar energy panels that can provide electric light to support the girls' continued education studies.Potential Long Term Impact
Give Water Give Life will help 604 girls improve their study time in the villages of Djomga and Kamsi. They are working with the schools to provide classes in the use and maintenance of solar energy. A Girls Solar Cooperative will be created in each village and will be tasked with maintaining the solar lights and sharing their knowledge with the entire community. The 5,000 residents in these two villages will then be able to use and adapt to the new technology. With solar powered energy, a village is sustainable.If you would like to donate please visit the Global Giving page.
