Water Projects in Africa

Water projects in Africa are essential to a continent plagued by water stress. Countries in Africa and South Asia, where 85 percent of the world’s people live, face the formidable challenge of providing enough water for the entire population.

Water scarcity in Africa results in people drinking contaminated water that is ridden with waterborne disease. Diarrhea kills about 1.5 million children every year, and more than 80 percent of those children are from Africa and South Asia. The World Health Organization estimates that 88 percent of those childhood deaths are caused by water-related issues—unsafe water, inadequate sanitation, and poor hygiene.1


Let’s study one African country as an example

Water problems in Burkina Faso are caused by drought, contamination, and lack of economic help. As a landlocked country in the Savanna region, Burkina Faso suffers through eight months of dry weather each year.2 On top of that, there are often severe droughts, making water very difficult to find. In 2016, a drought caused the capital city to only provide intermittent water service for its 2 million residents. The people traveled far into the country to find water.

Water stress has many devastating impacts in Burkina Faso. First, many of the people work as farmers, so water stress is damaging to their livelihood. When there is no water, poverty increases. Second, waterborne diseases are prevalent because of the quality of water. People struggle with malaria, yellow fever, and dengue fever from drinking contaminated water.

There have been numerous water well projects and initiatives in Burkina Faso’s history. New wells have been drilled, older wells have been repaired and training of the population has been attempted. However, many of those wells that once serviced people are no longer functioning. Many handpumps are now broken. Many toilets are not being used. This underscores the need for education of the population and maintenance of the infrastructure.

Burkina Faso is just one country of many in Africa that struggles with these issues. It is a great example of the need for water projects in Rwanda and other parts of Africa, as well as the need for an organized and long-term program for maintenance, and access to clean water in Rwanda and other African nations.


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