CONNECT AFRICA MINISTRIES

HAND PUMPS

 

One of the important pieces of the clean drinking water program is our borehole repair and maintanance department.

 

Boreholes are drilled or hand dug in a community, often funded by foreign NGOs or donors at around $10,000 a borehole,  but the pumps need maintanance, replaceable rubber washers need replacing, and pipes and rods have a life span and need replacing. The system that works is for a local committee to form, and collect a small amount from the users of the hand pump on a monthly basis, and then invest that money in maintanance of the borehole for generations to come.

 

With up to 70 percent of boreholes non-functioning in some communities due to the lack of maintanance, replacement supplies and theft, Connect Africa has been facilitating communities in taking ownership of this problem.

 

We work with the local governments' underfunded district water departments of the area, involve and re-train local pump technicians, develop and monitor water user committees, and at our Connect Africa Resource Centers host a depot of quality spare parts that are usually only available in Kampala, up to 10 hours transport from the problem areas.

 

Our ethos and moto of "empowered people transforming communities" is lived out when the local community members: 

 

1. Organize

2. Get equipped and trained

3. Solve the problem: "fix the pump"

4. Maintain the borehole  

5. Get Active... local people empowered and connected to go after the next problem...

 

 

With a cost of pennies on the dollar to drilling a new hole, we are inviting partners to come be a part of this very cost effective and sustainable intervention in transforming a community.