Myra's Wells

Providing Clean Water in West Africa

Registered Charity Number 1143345

100% of donations goes to well projects

  • Home
  • News
  • Why “Myra’s Wells”?
  • Wells List & Stories
  • Newsletter archives
    • Myra’s Wells Newsletter January 2023
    • Myra’s Wells Newsletter October 2022
    • Myra’s Wells Newsletter April 2022
    • Myra’s Wells Newsletter January 2022
    • Myra’s Wells Newsletter – October 2021
    • Myra’s Wells Newsletter – July 2021
    • Myra’s Wells Newsletter – April 2021
    • Myra’s Wells Newsletter – January 2021
    • Myra’s Wells Newsletter – October 2020
    • Myra’s Wells Testimony Special
    • Myra’s Wells Newsletter – April 2020
    • Myra’s Wells Newsletter – January 2020
    • Myra’s Wells Newsletter – October 2019
    • Myra’s Wells Newsletter – July 2019
    • Myra’s Wells Newsletter April 2019
    • Myra’s Wells Newsletter – January 2019
    • Myra’s Wells Summer 2018 Newsletter
  • HOW TO DONATE

We really want a well!

1st December 2019 by mark

This picture tells the story. They really need a well! The village is Tierakora. When we decide that we will drill a well at a particular village, we always know that there is a real need. Here is a video clip showing people using this water!

However, sometimes, there are circumstances that make it more difficult than usual to provide the well. This has been the case in two of the villages where Myra’s Wells has drilled wells recently. In both of these places, the villagers proved “WE really want a well”.

Villages and roads

It’s not too bad in some towns

Roads in Burkina Faso vary enormously. In the bigger towns, there are concrete roads. Radiating out from Ouagadougou, there are seven main roads. These are numbered N1 to N6, with the N2 forking and dividing into the N2 and N22. As Ouagadougou is in the very middle of the country, these roads go to the far corners of the country.

Within the larger cities, there are also other concrete roads; but away from the city centres, the roads are just compacted dust.

But villages are a bit different

If you want to go to a village, you will need to turn off the main concrete roads and follow tracks of compacted dust across the open ground. There will be no signposts. It needs local knowledge. You will need to be met by somebody at some point who will lead you to where the village is. This will probably be a man on a scooter. This is not too bad – especially if you are driving a 4×4. But, even then, there are the trees to consider. Going to many villages, the “track” will soon disappear completely. The man on the scooter will just ride through the trees, forgetting that you may not be able to follow him.

That’s a 4×4. What about a lorry?

If you are driving a lorry, you will have a bigger problem. In the rainy season, there is no chance of making it to the village. The compacted dust will be mud and you will get stuck. The problem for the drilling teams is that they drive two lorries. One has the drill mounted on the back; the other lorry carries the rods and pipes which the team needs for drilling the borehole.

What about the trees?

So, assuming the ground has dried up enough after the rainy season has finished, the drilling teams can set off. What they cannot cope with is the trees! That is when the villagers have their chance to demonstrate, “We really want a well”.

Tierkora and Gangbanan. “We really want a well!”

  • really want a well
  • really want a well
  • really want a well
  • really want a well

At both of these villages, there were trees in the way of the lorries. There were simply no gaps big enough to drive a lorry through. Here is the chance for the people to show just how much they really want a well by meeting the lorries and cutting down trees. It took the lorries a whole day to make the 35 mile trip to Gangbanan from the previous village. At Tiekora, the drillers spent the night on the road before they could make it to the village. These pictures are “stills” from videos so are not as crisp as we would like. However, at both places, the efforts made by the villagers have paid off. They have their wells. Here are links to the video clips.

On the road at night fall

Clearing the way into the village

We hope to have pictures of them using the new wells soon.

There are many other villages where they really want a well!

There are still more villages in similar circumstances. They really want a well too; and they, too, will be prepared to demonstrate it!

Filed Under: News

Donate with Stewardship You can also CLICK HERE to download a PDF form to make regular monthly donations. Please print out, fill in and send to us by post.

Children at Well

If you can help provide clean water in Burkina Faso, 100% of your gift will be used for well construction GUARANTEED.

CONTACT US
72 Oakhurst Road, West Moors, Ferndown, Dorset BH22 0DR, UK

Tel: 01202 892548

Read More...

Folluw us on Facebook

Who are we?

Our charity provides life-saving water wells in Burkina Faso – one of the poorest countries in West Africa. A few places do have mains water, but even that supply lacks purity.
100% of donations received go to pay for wells. The Trustees in the UK and Burkina Faso receive no remuneration for their work. The salaries of the two administrative staff employed in Burkina Faso are paid by the UK Trustees, or using funds specifically donated for this purpose.

Our Sponsors

Myra's Wells Supporters

How to Donate

You can also make donations or set up regular giving online via Stewardship, CAF, Virgin Giving.
For more information call Eddie or Karen on
01202 892548 or email us at info@myraswells.org
Myra’s Wells, 72 Oakhurst Road,
West Moors, Ferndown, Dorset BH22 0DR

© Copyright 2016 Myra's Wells · All Rights Reserved · Developed by Seemore Graphics Ltd