US Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Programme Final Progress Report 2021

In October 2020, WellFound began a project to help five villages in Guinea Bissau whose water sources were streams and shallow wells more than half a kilometre away from the centre of the villages. The US Ambassador to Senegal and GuineaBissau, Special Self-Help Programme, is generously supporting three of these villages: Fabur, Tinquilin, and Safar in the Oio Region and Bissum Naga area.

‍In June 2021, the project was set-up to be completed with long-lasting results.

‍Working together with the villages the objective was to restore and build wells for cleaner and closer water sources to the community, and to instil sustainability. The organisation and the community were determined to implement a market garden formore viable and long-term access to food and economical independence. Over 1,200 people will directly benefit from the project, especially women and children who are usually the ones making the journey to fetch water.

Cutting back on time fetching water gives the children an opportunity to attend school, women and young girls will have more access and opportunity for hygiene and sanitation, and the community, with water nearby, will have the chance to increaseagriculture for access to fresh produce (with leftover produce being sold at markets). The project is entirely community-led. Ledb y the Village Development Committee, with 6 members, established and trained by WellFound; 16 community volunteers were put onto the well drilling team, resulting in alittle over 15 days of manual labour.
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The communities provide:

• Raw materials (sand and gravel)
• Help with the transport of materials
• Food and water for the workers

The old water source of a village called Cabam and the new water tank.

While WellFound sources materials and provides expertise through various workshops and collaborations with experts, the Village Development Committee is trained in project management, alongside a village saving scheme which is put in place to help raise funds towards repair and maintenance of the well. The project budget is overseen by the WellFound project manager from the UK offices. WellFound, on behalf of all the communities supported by the SHH programme, thanks the People of America, the Ambassador for USA in Senegal and the team of their grant.

Get involved by contacting us on our website https://www.wellfound.org.uk/keep-in-touch and signing up for our newsletter. Water is a right, not a privilege!