Private investment for public good – upgrading household hand-dug wells to increase reliability, safety, and resiliency of water services for a range of domestic and productive uses.
Rural Burkina Faso is among one of the poorest places on earth. The arid tropical climate is characterized by distinct rainy and dry seasons. Many areas, including the project focus region, are not close to a major river or other surface water supply. While significant investments have been made in conventional boreholes, according to a baseline study completed in 2012, 25% of these systems are non-functional. Instead, households depend primarily on shallow wells that they dig themselves for domestic use, agriculture and livestock activities. Villagers generally prefer using these traditional homestead wells over existing “improved” communal boreholes because they tend to be closer and more convenient. However, there are significant problems with traditional wells including risk of collapse, vulnerability to contamination and likelihood of drying up during the dry season between April and June. Lack of potable drinking water has led to high prevalence of waterborne illnesses and limited access to water for livelihood activities, particularly during the dry season, contributes to low agricultural productivity.
Many traditional wells in rural Burkina Faso only provide water seasonally and are often contaminated. Through deepening, lining and covering, the wells can provide year-round clean water, close to the home.
Winrock Burkina Faso places an emphasis on conservation farming techniques, which can help protect the environment and generate more income for small-scale agriculturalists in the Sahel.
A woman displays her local beer brewing process in rural Burkina Faso. Increased access to water means that women are able to expand their income generating activities.
Children learn how to use their new handwashing station, developed by the Winrock Burkina Faso Program. The durable and low-cost stations are now sold by the private sector in the local market.
Women in the Moringa Business Association attend a cooking demonstration to learn more ways to use the versatile and healthy product, which is being promoted as a livelihoods activity by the Winrock Burkina Faso Program.
As part of the WA-WASH Burkina Faso Program, Winrock promotes plastic mulch gardening, which allows for better soil-moisture retention, earlier planting dates, and improved crop quality – leading to more money in the pockets of small-holder farmers.
A self-supply approach cost-effectively delivers water services and maximizes impact of project funding. Following technical assistance on both local supply and local demand for water solutions, families are investing an average of $235 to upgrade existing wells through well deepening and reinforcement, construction of concrete aprons and capping. Infrastructure design options are flexible and based on households’ water needs. Households also have the option to include nearby installation of troughs for watering livestock or connect the well to an elevated tank feeding a drip irrigation system. Well improvements increase yield, enhance safety and increase seasonal availability; decreasing the time needed to fetch water during the dry season. Access to water services is improved for drinking, cooking, and bathing as well as for income generation activities such as gardening, livestock watering, tree planting and brewing local beer. Local businesses are supported to provide manual drilling services and manufacture practical and economic rope pumps, creating a sustainable and affordable supply chain of these technologies. Households receive technical training to ensure ongoing maintenance of systems, enhance rainwater management, increase agricultural production and improve hygiene practices. The benefits of these water service, health, and livelihood investments extend beyond just one family; according to locally-held social norms, water from each subsidized household system is shared with neighbors, supplying approximately 70 additional community members.
It is critical to understand current water needs, sources and the unique ownership and management preferences of the community before designing Multiple-Use Water Services.
Willingness to pay for water is high, even among people living in poverty.
High individual household commitment and technical capacity can result in improved sustainability of water services.
Market-based support services are critical for the sustainability of both public and privately managed water services.
Household Self-investment Sustainably Meets Real Water Needs Convenience, safety, and income generation opportunities make upgrading wells worthwhile in rural Burkina Faso.
MUS: Meeting local needs and creating jobs Low-cost technologies make improved wells affordable for rural families and drives business for local entrepreneurs.
At 60 years old, Pauline Kangoro is leading a movement in her village. She heads a group of female entrepreneurs who produce value-added products that contain Moringa, a vitamin-rich plant indigenous to many parts of Africa.