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How Can I Donate a Water Well in Africa?

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According to the United Nations, “only 24% of the population [of sub-Saharan Africa] have access to safe drinking water.” 1 Water is in high demand throughout Africa, but very few people have safe and available water for daily use. Reliable water wells, robust water sanitation and efficient water filtration systems are solutions for providing clean water to people experiencing poverty, illness and drought. To donate a water well in Africa is to give new hope to an entire community. Most water sources in Africa are not nearby. In African countries, 25% of people spend anywhere from 30 minutes to 6 hours daily collecting water; women and children may walk up to four miles to gather water for their families for the day. 2 Water collection is a time-consuming and labor-intensive responsibility that prevents children from attending school and women from working or completing other essential tasks. Clean water is a crucial resource that supports health, economic stability and quality of li...
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Is There Adequate Access to Clean Water in Rwanda?

Over 11 million people live in Rwanda; however, most Rwandans do not have access to clean water due to drought and poverty. 1 Only 57% of Rwandans have easy access to clean water; only 5% of Rwandan households have hand-washing facilities with soap. 2 Access to clean water in Rwanda is a significant problem. 3 How does clean water benefit families? Here are some examples: Health — Drinking clean water and using sanitized and safe water for everyday tasks reduces exposure to harmful diseases and pollutants that cause persistent health issues and sickness. Clean water improves families’ quality of life. Productivity — Perpetual health issues like headaches, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fevers and other health issues prevent adults from being productive at work or regularly going to their jobs. Rwanda is a largely impoverished country; 3 work is vital to the survival of individuals and their families. Missing hours, days or weeks of work can be economically devastating to a family exper...
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What Are GFA World’s Water Projects in Rwanda?

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For decades, GFA World has provided practical help to communities through child sponsorship, vocational skills training classes, clean water initiatives and more. In 2021, GFA World expanded its ministries to Africa, beginning with Rwanda. GFA World is developing water projects in Rwanda, and we do this through national missionaries. GFA missionaries GFA missionaries connect with families, churches and communities in Africa to offer encouragement and resources. As they spend time in the villages, these GFA missionaries work with community leaders to assess communal needs and provide life-changing resources, including water resources like Jesus Wells and BioSand filters, for the people. GFA missionaries understand the culture and needs of their communities since they are from these regions themselves. Jesus Wells Jesus Wells are an efficient, sustainable and reliable source of clean water for large communities. Jesus Wells provide clean water to meet communities’ physical needs and prov...
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Water Projects in Africa

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Water is essential to human life; however, millions of people worldwide do not have clean, accessible water for drinking, cooking, cleaning and other routine tasks. 1 Clean water is essential, but it can be a luxury for millions of people experiencing poverty. Water stress is critical throughout Africa. Water projects in Africa can offer life-saving interventions for individuals, families and entire communities. Water is a crucial and rare resource throughout this continent due to limited water sources, extreme heat and drought, limited water infrastructure and contaminated water sources. Insufficient water sources Drought — Africa’s proximity to the equator produces extreme heat and dry climates; Many countries in Africa experiences less than 1,000 millimeters of rain annually. 2 Minimal rainfall creates severe drought that causes the soil to turn to dirt and dust that is inhospitable for growing crops. Surface water in ponds, lakes and rivers dry up, causing livestock to die from ...
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How Many People Lack Access to Clean Water?

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The World Health Organization (WHO) notes how many people lack access to clean water. According to WHO, 663 million people worldwide do not have safe and accessible drinking water, meaning that unclean water regularly exposes 8% of the world to disease, dehydration and even death due to their water source. 1 Polluted water may have chemicals such as lead, arsenic or excessive levels of fluoride or dangerous microorganisms like rotavirus, cholera, dysentery or human waste. Water pollutants can cause health complications, illness or even death. According to WHO, a staggering “829,000 people die each year from diarrhea as a result of unsafe drinking-water, sanitation, and hand hygiene.” 1 Ragnar, a low-wage laborer in South Asia, is a husband and father to four children. 2 Ragnar worked hard to provide for his family, but his village struggled with water stress. The closest water source was a well half a mile from the village. Collecting water was time-consuming and difficult because vi...
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What Are the Top Water Stressed Countries?

Water stress indicates that the demand for safe and accessible water exceeds the supply. 1 Drought, reduced rainfall and water overuse all contribute to water stress. Some regions are prone to drought and water shortages for ecological reasons; others have dense, urban populations that strain existing water sources and systems. The highest water stressed countries include countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) such as Qatar, Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Jordan, Libya, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Pakistan. 2 According to experts, countries in MENA experience higher levels of water crisis because it is a hot, arid climate with very minimal rainfall. MENA countries are also densely populated and require more water than other countries. 1 Even high-income, developed regions like Northern America and Europe experience water limitations that stress their natural resources. Numerous countries worldwide are overusing their water supply annually and will feel the e...
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What is Water Stress?

What is water stress? Water stress indicates that the demand for safe and accessible water exceeds the supply. 1 Factors like increasing population, urbanization and agriculture strongly affect the strain on water sources. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 663 million people worldwide do not have safe and accessible drinking water, meaning that unclean water regularly exposes 8% of the world to disease, dehydration and even death due to their water source. 1 The WHO also estimates that by 2025, over 50% of the world’s population will live in water-stressed areas. 2 This issue of water overuse is not new; it is also not going away. These water crisis statistics are concerning, so groups such as WHO, the United Nations and more research this issue and provide water-usage guidelines. In some cities, the water supply is so limited that they are at risk of running out of water. Over the last two decades, Cape Town, South Africa, has experienced an extreme water crisis. T...
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