Valleé de Kou is an expanding area, about 25 km from Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso’s second largest city. It is popular because there are less mosquitoes that in the surrounding area! But that brings its own problems. Expanding populations are not planned – they just happen and there is not enough water. This is the story of a new well that Myra’s Wells provided in March 2018.
A new secteur
Secteur 4 was new and growing. There were some places to find water. At a private school, there was even a water tower. This uses a borehole and a solar powered pump to keep a tank filled, providing a constant head of water. Depending on the size of the tank, these can cost up to twice the cost of a well on top of the cost of drilling a borehole. But only the children and staff at the school are allowed to use it.
Another pump is situated at the police station. But it is difficult to get to it. And, in any case, people are afraid (unnecessarily!) of the police so do not want to go there. So, many of them used to use the large open wells which, so often, contain dirty water.
A new well comes to Valleé de Kou
We have just received these pictures of the survey, drilling and completion of the new well. Some are very low resolution, but they tell the story of a new well.
First of all, the survey. Different spots on the ground are investigated so that the surveyor can specify where the drilling team should work.
Then comes the drilling. When you see the equipment that is needed, it is easy to see why we cannot get the drill to villages in the rainy season. There is not a real road in sight – just compacted earth.
When water is found, the borehole is capped until the water is tested, at a laboratory in Ouagadougou, and declared clean and pure.
Then the pump is fitted and the surrounding wall is built.
Now, the local community and the children at the small school, are able to enjoy having a pump close to them. As always now, there is a drinking trough for the livestock as well. We were delighted to be able to add this well to our list as number 110. At the time of writing this story, there are 122 wells on the list which you can see by clicking this link.
This is just one village
So that is the story of a new well at a village. This one is at Valleé de Kou. But the situation here is just typical of villages all over Burkina Faso. There are still over 7000 wells needed to serve the whole country. While the Lord keeps making money available, we will keep drilling for water in an effort to provide water – the most basic of physical needs. And as that happens, we pray that the people will also find the water of life as well.
