Water resources are in tremendous demand in the arid Sahel, including Mali's Bandiagara District. Decreasing rainfall and desertification make water rarer and more valued every decade. Most community members draw water by hand from deep wells for drinking and household use. The depth of the water can vary from 1 to 25 meters, depending on the location, the time of year, and the amount of rainfall received that year. During the brief rainy season, from June to August, the water table rises, and then it falls during the rest of the year. In highland Ecuador, water is much more available, and priorities focus on delivering it to homes, purifying it, and protecting watersheds by planting trees. Tandana assists in improving water access and quality with materials, volunteer labor, and training.  Learn more about a current water project in Inguincho, Ecuador.

 

 Increasing Access to Water in Mali



Many villages use wells they have dug by hand and place logs over the opening to stand on while drawing water. These wells can collapse dangerously, sometimes livestock or even people fall into them, and the wood must be replaced every year from extremely scarce tree resources. If they are not deep enough, wells may go dry late in the dry season. Also, when the rains begin, storm runoff washes debris into them, polluting the water, if the opening is not raised and protected. 

Tandana has assisted with the digging of a new well in Ologuiné and the stabilization, improvement, and deepening of several wells in Kansongho, Sal-Dimi and Sal-Sombogou. Community members often prefer open wells to closed boreholes with pumps, because when a pump breaks no one can get any water, whereas with the well they can always access the vital liquid. Often, they find even pulleys to be too limiting, as during peak times more than 20 people may be drawing from the same well. Women and men have different techniques for pulling the rope up from a well with a bucket full of water, but almost everyone participates in some way in the provision of water. Even young children carry buckets full of water on their heads without spilling a drop. 

Once they have adequate sources for household water, many community members seek additional water options for livestock and gardening. Sometimes, dikes can retain water from the rainy season for a number of months. In other cases, additional wells provide for these needs. A water tower with a solar pump is a dream come true for gardeners, allowing them to irrigate vegetables and fruit trees and produce food throughout the dry season. 

New Well in Ologuiné, Mali



The residents of Ologuiné did not have a well within 1 km of their homes, which meant that women had to walk long distances, up and down a rocky slope, to get water. In the rainy season, they would get water from a river that was also used for laundry and for watering livestock. For many years, they sought assistance to dig a well near their village, so they could have access to clean drinking water without having to walk long distances. Tandana responded to their request, hiring a contractor to bring drilling equipment and work with the residents to dig a new well. Now clean water is available year-round very close to the homes. The new well has already facilitated several new construction projects, including classrooms and latrines for the school, and it offers a convenient location to water livestock using the attached watering basin. It also saves women a great deal of time and effort which can now be put into other activities, such as market gardening and transforming cotton into cloth.

Well Restoration in Kansongho, Mali

 


In 2008, Tandana was able to provide the funds needed to restore and deepen a well in Kansongho, Mali. This project is of utmost importance to the village's 800 residents, since their other two wells both dry up towards the end of the dry season. The well had collapsed and was unusable; often women had to walk great distances in search of water or use dirty sources, and shepherds had to refrain from watering their livestock. The village contributed cash to this project in addition to the unskilled labor and local materials and is thrilled to have completed the project. Now, residents have a nearby water source that they can count on year-round. The well also now has a clean, raised opening to keep pollutants out of the water and a basin for watering animals. In 2010, Tandana provided funds to repair and restore a second well in the village. An internal collapse had made it too dangerous to use, putting extra pressure on the other two wells. Now it is stabilized and strong. Kansongho men took turns assisting the skilled masons with the work. In 2012, residents, with help from a local contractor hired by Tandana, also improved and stabilized the oldest traditional well in their village. Now all three wells are secure water sources.


 Well Restoration in Sal-Dimi, Mali

 


The village of Sal-Dimi had two wells, both traditional, meaning they have been dug and maintained by hand. About every two years, the logs supporting the opening had to be replaced by new trees, which are becoming more and more scarce as the Dogon Plateau is deforested. During the rainy season, when the water is high, it erodes the mud and clay walls of the wells, leading to frequent collapses, which can be dangerous. Each year residents had to repair, stabilize, and rebuild the openings to both wells. They asked Tandana for help to permanently stabilize their wells, and we hired a local contractor to reinforce both wells with cement walls and create a raised opening for cleanliness. On the day that we announced that the first well would be restored, several elders were covering the well with thorny branches because a collapse had made it too dangerous to approach and draw water. Residents were thrilled with the news that it would be improved, and quickly mobilized the sand and gravel that would be needed for the reconstruction work. They also contributed the labor to assist the skilled masons, and several of the elders were so excited that they donated sheep to be roasted and feed all those who were working on the project. The second well has now also been stabilized and is safe to use.

 

 Well Restoration in Sal-Sombogou, Mali

   

The village of Sal-Sombogou has one main well near to its homes. It was dug by hand, with mud walls that were subject to collapse, and residents had to stand on wood, which had to be replaced annually while drawing water. The well, pictured above left, was dangerous, and not infrequently livestock were lost into it. The village sent a delegation to visit Tandana representatives while they were in nearby Sal-Dimi, asking for assistance in stabilizing and improving the well. Tandana hired a contractor who provided the skilled labor and non-local materials, while residents pitched in with labor, sand, gravel, and water or the construction project. Now, they have a secure and stable well, pictured above right, with a raised opening to keep debris and livestock from falling into the water. They also have a watering basin, where they can easily give water to their goats, sheep, and cattle. 

Well Restoration in Komberou, Mali

  


The community of Komberou in Mali needed upgrades to their well. They drilled it deeper to ensure access to water during the dry season and installed a secure cement lining. While working, they discovered that part of the wall had caved inside the well and it was getting dangerous. If this project wasn’t done, at some point it likely would have collapsed and people could have been hurt. After the work on the well was finished, the management committee received training and made rules to keep the well clean. The improved well has a clean raised opening with a cover and watering basins for livestock. A pulley was also added to facilitate drawing water.


New Well in Wana, Mali

 

As of May 2021 the well in Wana, Mali is now 13m deep. The community is looking forward to having reliable access to water. As of July, 2021 The Wana Well project is nearing completion. The Management Committee was elected and their training took place on June 22-23, 2021.


New Well in Sandiam, Mali

 

As of July 2021, the well in Sandiam is nearly complete! They have finished the cement lining and built the raised opening and watering basin for livestock.


New Well in Gongo Sinou, Mali

 


Work has been completed on the well in Gongo Sinou. It has been dug to the planned depth and has a clean, raised opening with watering basins. Herders are now ready to use the well water for their animals.


New Well in Ondogou Dah, Mali


 

 The well in Ondogou Dahhas been completed!


New Well in Annal, Mali



The well in Annal, made possible by Tandana supporters, has been completed.


Well Restoration In Bandiagara



With the support of Tandana donors, construction of the well for displaced families in Bandiagara proceeded steadily--and is now completed and officially inaugurated! The water in it is currently 2m 46cm deep. The contractor closed the well to treat the water until it was re-opened for the inauguration ceremony. The report we received from Bandiagara said,"The displaced families are full of joy, which they showed by dancing."

 

 Delivering Clean Water in Ecuador


  


In highland Ecuador, water is much more available, and priorities focus on delivering it to homes, purifying it, and protecting watersheds by planting trees. Potable water systems may serve one or several communities, and often need to be expanded as population grows. Some systems involve purification, while others do not, and improvements to purification methods are also a goal of some communities. Tandana has assisted in expanding the capacity, providing purification equipment, building a filtration tank, and general maintenance of several water systems, including the Panecillo Regional system, the La Banda system, and the Achupallas-Muenala-Huayrapungo system.  


 Panecillo Regional Potable Water System

    

Since 2005, we have helped to make improvements to the Panecillo regional potable water system serving five communities. Collaborating with The Traveling School and Deer Hill Expeditions, we helped to replace inadequate water pipes with larger pipes so that all homes in the communities of Agualongo and San Juan Loma could receive running water. Visiting student groups worked with local community members to install the new pipes. We also coordinated the purchase of a chlorine machine for the Panecillo regional potable water system with donations collected by a Traveling School alumna. This machine separates salt, creating a highly chlorinated solution that is used to treat the water for the five communities regularly. In 2012, with the help of an Alternative Spring Break group from Northeastern University, we built a retaining wall to protect a spring that is one of two water sources for this system.  

La Banda Potable Water System

 

In 2010, working with an Alternative Spring Break group from Northeastern University and the community of La Banda, we built a water filtration tank that settles sediment out of the water before it is delivered to homes in La Banda. In 2018, Tandana volunteers again worked alongside residents of La Banda to build a wall to collect water at the community's water catchment site and also to lay pipes so that all homes in the community could have access to running water. In 2021, community members in La Banda completed the most recent phase of installing the pipes we had previously given to them for their potable water system. They received a generous donation for the final phase of the project and installed the last section of pipes to complete this project.

Gualapuro Potable Water System



The community members in Gualapuro knew that their water system was not adequate and partnered with local expats as well as The Tandana Foundation to raise money and construct a new system that would indeed deliver clean water. Through using their connections, they also secured local support from the municipality which also donated materials to help complete this project. As of the end of 2019 the project is nearly complete and people are anxious to receive clean water in their homes. The tank will be 24 feet across and 10 feet high and hold more than 30,000 gallons of water. All of this is happening high above town where it is not easy to transport the materials needed for construction. As of 2021 the project is complete!

Inguincho Potable Water System

 

Members of the community of Inguincho wanted to improve their water system and partnered with local ex-pat Rockey Anderson, as well as the Tandana Foundation and Rotary International to raise money and build a new system that delivers clean water. As of 2022, the main project is complete! A new phase will soon begin to add more pipes that will bring clean water to more homes. As of 2024 the entire project is complete!

Irrigation System in Motilón Chupa, Ecuador

 

Motilón Chupa has the advantage of a unique geographical location, in a warm microclimate created by a mountain basin. The warmth allows the community to cultivate a number of agricultural products that would be impossible to grow in the cold, high-altitude surroundings. Additionally, a plentiful stream of water cascades down the valley-side, and the entire community has ownership over this coveted water supply. The families could not benefit from the resource, however, without much hard work and investment. After years of taking daily turns, manually digging kilometers of trenches, and fundraising through a number of non-governmental organizations, Motilón sought Tandana's support for the final stages of installing an irrigation system. In 2018, as part of an Alternative Spring Break Program, 11 students and 1 university representative from Northeastern University in Boston spent a week in the indigenous community of Motilón Chupa. They worked together with community members to build a concrete water tank for the community's irrigation system. This storage tank breaks the water pressure as the water descends, allows for access to water even during the dry seasons, and allows distribution to multiple water lines. In 2019, Tandana volunteers also worked alongside community members to build a wall at the catchment site to increase the volume of water that can be collected for irrigation. In 2021 the final materials were donated to complete the major collection tank and the project was completed. You can see a video about the project External link opens in new tab or windowhere.
 

 Water Tower, Solar Pump, and Basins in Kansongho, Mali

 

Residents of Kansongho, Mali were delighted when the government dug a borehole for them near their orchard. Immediately, they expanded the orchard to create vegetable plots as well. To be able to irrigate their garden without always drawing water by hand and carrying it in buckets to their plots, they asked for help installing a solar pump, a water tower, and a set of watering basins inside the garden. Tandana helped to make this dream possible, and now the gardeners simply carry water a short distance from the basins to their plots.

Gasoline Pump and Basins in Kori-Maoundé, Mali

 

The students and teachers in Kori-Maoundé, Mali had been working hard in their school garden but found it was difficult to irrigate the vegetables and fruit trees from water sources outside the garden. First, they asked for help to build basins inside the garden, which would be gravity fed from the manual pump outside the garden. Then, they found that the pump did not provide sufficient water and frequently broke down, so they sought a gasoline-powered pump with hoses. With this pump they can bring water right where they need it.

Stock Ponds in Goundoly and Andjine, Mali

 

With Tandana's help, The Olouguelemo Environmental Association has created two stock ponds in Goundoly and Andjine, Mali. The ponds conserve rainwater for livestock, which also helps to keep the livestock out of the protected forest areas. The new stock ponds that the association constructed are full of water, and livestock are watering there. Residents of Andjine are also using the water for gardening vegetables, and in Goundoly they are using the water from one of the ponds to make bricks for construction. These ponds conserve water from the brief rainy season for use over many more months by herders, gardeners, and builders. 

Stone Contour Lines in Wadouba Township, Mali

 

The Olouguelemo Environmental Association supported a training session for representatives from 9 of its 19 member villages on the construction of stone contour lines for erosion prevention. A quick glance at the photos and it's clear how essential erosion prevention is for these farmers. During the training, they learned how to construct stone contour lines to protect and enhance the new stock pond in Goundoly Dogon. The village representatives then went home and taught the techniques they have learned to other farmers in their villages. They also received tools, so that they will all have the ability to continue to build stone contour lines to prevent erosion in their own fields. This work will conserve both soil and water and increase crop yields.

Reservoir in Moe-Leye, Mali



The reservoir will conserve water from the brief rainy season (which starts in June each year) for gardening and livestock in the dry season. After Tandana staff, the contractor, and village leaders met to mark out the exact location of the stone dam, residents quickly got to work, breaking the stones to be used in the construction.


Irrigation System in Yambiro, Ecuador


Residents of the community of Yambiro dream of having their own irrigation system in Ecuador. Each day that passes they are closer to achieving this dream. This system will aid in improving their agricultural productivity, providing a sustainable income for families, and enhancing the overall well-being of the community. Pipes have been laid which connect a water source to the new and massive water reservoir that has been constructed. From there, more pipes will connect this reservoir to individual homes and farms allowing access to irrigation water. This opens up a new possibility for community members to plant fruit trees or even construct pools to farm tilapia. The hope is that this irrigation water will open up income generating opportunities for the women's association that started this project and for other community members as well.

 

 

Nov
17

Tandana’s family and friends celebrate the Legacy of Hope

On Nov. 8, around 450 people from all over the world attended The Tandana Foundation’s Legacy of Hope Celebration to honor the nearly two decades of service of Hope Taft to the organization and to mark her 80th birthday. Español Français In recognition of Hope’s dedication and lasting impact at Tandana and beyond, the sold … Continue reading "Tandana’s family and friends celebrate the Legacy of Hope"
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Oct
20

Leaving a Legacy of Hope: The gift of a new water system in Natividad

Water is essential to life, but communities in many places of the world still long for clean, safe water. One of those communities is Natividad, Ecuador. Español Français The residents of Natividad receive their water from a canal that is open to contamination by animals and parasites, which can result in illness if the water … Continue reading "Leaving a Legacy of Hope: The gift of a new water system in Natividad"
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Jul
23

Why I donated toward Tandana’s water projects in Ecuador and Mali

Full disclosure: I began thinking about what I would write to raise awareness of “exciting matching opportunities” that are available for The Tandana Foundation’s fundraisers to support the completion of community water projects in Mali and Ecuador. Español Français To bring clean water to all residents of the Inguincho community in Ecuador, a donor … Continue reading "Why I donated toward Tandana’s water projects in Ecuador and Mali"
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Mar
19

Pond expansions help provide needed food support during lean season

Last year, members of villages in Wadouba Township of Mali expanded a number of stock ponds by hand with support from The Tandana Foundation. The goal of the effort, which was organized by the village-run Olougelemo Association, was to help combat the impacts of an urgent food crisis facing the region by both providing needed … Continue reading "Pond expansions help provide needed food support during lean season"
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Dec
11

Exceeding expectations: Results of the pond expansion work in Mali

As a food crisis worsened in the Dogon Plateau of Mali earlier this year, residents joined together to expand a number of stock ponds by hand at sites across four sectors of Wadouba Township. Their work was part of an inventive food security plan developed by the village-run Olouguelemo Association in partnership with The Tandana … Continue reading "Exceeding expectations: Results of the pond expansion work in Mali"
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Nov
27

Help write a storybook ending to the Inguincho water project this Giving Tuesday, Nov. 29

Like any great story, the quest to bring clean drinking water to the families of the San Juan de Inguincho community in the highlands of Ecuador has many enthralling chapters. The chapters contain tales of inspiring heroes, such as the dedicated community members, including Inguincho Water Board President Rodrigo Tuquerrez, and passionate volunteers – most … Continue reading "Help write a storybook ending to the Inguincho water project this Giving Tuesday, Nov. 29"
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Nov
13

The thrill of visiting the Gualapuro water project in person

I recently returned from my first visit to Ecuador. I had the opportunity to be a member of The Tandana Foundation Gardening Volunteer Venture. I am thankful I made the trip. The week provided many memorable moments, none of which exceeded the “special visit” arranged by Founding Director Anna for me to visit the community … Continue reading "The thrill of visiting the Gualapuro water project in person"
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