Reencontro Well # 1
During November 2016, African Millennium Foundation (AMF) and their partner Reencontro installed a fresh drinking water well in Mozambique. This well was installed outside the small town of Maluana at the future site of a sustainable village designed to expand and enrich the children’s lives who have been orphaned by the AIDS pandemic in Mozambique. This project is known as “A Nossa Casa” or “A Home for US.” This well also has an immediate and positive impact of enhancing the local villagers’ lives by lessening the women and children’s efforts and struggles to gathering water.
“Water is central in the social, economic and political affairs of the African continent, and of the world”
Before embarking on drilling the well the hydrologic conditions in Mozambique were evaluated along with specifying the drilling requirements with local drillers to successfully construct this well. Even with all this preparation, it is a whole different world drilling a well overseas on the African continent. The equipment for this project was old, run down, and quite small by US standards to install a well over 200 feet deep. Other considerations included that there are local customs associated with installing a well in that a ceremony or blessing is required. So, before drilling could start the drilling, we were off to the local market to get the requested supplies of a couple of live chickens, porridge, wine, sodas, and money. Other impacts to the project included political factors – for instance November 20th was Election Day and all businesses were required to shut down and not work so that their workers were ensured an opportunity to go to the poles and vote.
After multiple breakdowns and repairs, unplanned delays, and even weather I am ecstatic to share that we were successful with installing a fresh drinking water well that is screened within a sandy interval to a depth of 68 meters or 223 feet. During this phase of the project, we installed a hand pump, which is easy to use and maintain. At a future stage of the project this pump can be changed out when the water needs of the community expand.
