Is the Cost of a Well in Africa a Barrier?

Though the cost of a well in Africa can vary, GFA World, on average in the countries we serve, can install a project for a very economical cost, providing even an entire village with clean water. For example, one of our bore wells can serve an average of 300 people per day and can last for up to 20 years.[1]

In the Bible, wells are central stages for story-telling dramas. Abraham’s servant finds a wife for Isaac at a well after praying in Genesis 24. Moses helps the priest of Midian’s daughters at a well in Exodus 2, which leads him to meet his future wife’s family. Jesus’s conversation about Living Water with the Samaritan woman in John 4 occurs at a well. GFA’s ministry continues to provide these pivotal and life-changing sources of water in the areas that need them most.

One example of this is in four villages in Asia. These communities faced a severe water shortage in the summer, but in the rainy monsoon season, the water was contaminated by chemicals. Those who could afford it would buy their water. Others had to walk for several miles each day to ask for water at the homes of nearby landlords. If those homeowners shared, the villagers would carry two pots of water the long distance back to their homes. This practice was always a gamble since the homeowners needed water too and could turn the villagers away empty-handed.

Human beings require about 13 to 26 gallons of water per day,[2] but research shows that those who live one kilometer away from a water source only use 1.3 gallons a day,[3] which was the situation in these four communities. GFA churches in the area were concerned about the people of these villages and their need for clean and safe water. GFA was able to drill four Jesus Wells to provide water in each of the villages. There are now about 5,300 people who benefit from these wells. Just as the wells will provide clean water for drinking, cooking and bathing, they will also stand as a constant witness of Jesus, the Living Water.[4]


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