Water4’s partner in Waterloo, Sierra Leone recently completed the 6,000th water project in our organization’s history, an incredible milestone worth highlighting! This project is just one of approximately 900 that Water4 and our partners across the continent of Africa will complete in 2020 – ultimately providing safe water to over 220,000 people. Every single one of these water projects is having a huge impact, but we want to pause and share with you the specific impact this water project is having.
Water4 is partnered with a social enterprise in Sierra Leone, Water4Ever, and we are working together to provide the entire city of Waterloo (pop. 120,000) with access to safe water through our NUMA systems. Water4’s 6,000th water project is what we call a NUMA Node, a piped water sub-station connected to the main pumping and filtration system that we call a NUMA Nexus. This Node provides up to 800 people who live within a 500 yard radius with access to safe and affordable water. Women and children in this community will no longer have to walk long distances or use water sources that put their families at risk, an increasing reality for people in Waterloo as Water4’s partner is now providing safe water to over 40,000 people within the city!
This Node is operated by Mrs. Kamara, a mother and provider for over 10 family members who are part of her household. Mrs. Kamara is consistently a top sales earner among her 60+ peers operating similar water kiosks across the city. Thanks to the financial stewardship training and support she has received through Water4, she knows how to invest her earnings to provide for her loved ones and how to save for the future. Mrs. Kamara told us she is grateful for the opportunity to earn a living to support her family and to send her gratitude to everyone who supports Water4.
The impact of this water project will go well beyond the immediate area it serves. The revenue and profits earned from this site will be reinvested into new water projects as we work towards providing the entire city of Waterloo with access to safe water by 2022.
Over the past few years, you have probably heard us talk about our work in the Wassa East District of Ghana and the incredible impact we are having there. As we look forward to wrapping up district-wide access to safe water there, we are ramping up in areas like Waterloo where we will provide access to safe water for an entire city!
