A non-profit organization providing water wells and sanitation systems to schools in Africa

Drop in the Bucket has noticed a strengthened sense of community in the areas where wells have been built.

Though we would not claim credit for this, we are very happy to be part of it. We will not start work on a well without first asking the local villagers to form a water committee.

The water committee is a group of people that are responsible for the management and upkeep of the well. It should be made up of members of the local school board, prominent families in the community and other local leaders. If there is a doctor in the village, they should be asked to participate. Women must also be represented. The committee will be responsible for the entire system, even before construction starts. They will be involved in the site selection and will organize the local labor that will assist the drilling team. Unless a strong water committee is formed, the chances of the well succeeding are seriously diminished.

We also request that the community's 20 most prominent families each provide 20 clay bricks. The clay is everywhere and almost everyone in the village has the ability to make their own bricks at no cost. We have found that this fosters pride in the project and encourages the community to take ownership of the well. This is their well, their toilets, and they helped to make it all happen.

Through experience we have found that this type of community involvement is key to the wells’ success. Because the villagers assist in the construction of the well, they also gain a real understanding of how it works and what it will take to carry out basic maintenance.

Some prominent families in the community who use the well will be asked to donate a small and easily affordable amount of money every month. This money goes towards the maintenance and upkeep of the system. The water committee will be responsible for collecting, holding and distributing this money.

After outlining the African villagers’ community involvement, it would be difficult not to mention the involvement and the sense of community we are experiencing here. People have been raising money to have wells and complete water systems constructed using so many different methods. One family asked 100 friends and relatives to each donate a small amount. They ended up paying for their first well in just a few months, and are now on their way to well number three.

Musicians have been raising money at their concerts while Girl scouts, schools, families, friends, churches, community groups and co-workers are all getting involved in raising money for specific well projects. Everyone can participate in helping to provide schools in Africa with water, sanitation and hygiene. We at Drop in the Bucket feel deeply honored and privileged to assist you in providing these basic human needs to children. Anything that you can do to help will really make a huge difference.