People in Kani, Komi, and Timan, three villages in southern Chad, have no access to clear drinking water. They depend on open, shallow wells dug in dry river beds, often a few miles away from the village. Water from these wells is not clear, and people get sick from it, in particular the children. The wells also tend to dry up for a few weeks during the dry season in March-April every year, which is also the hottest period of the year, with temperatures up to 45°C / 115°F. This situation is very difficult, in particular for women, who are in charge of fetching water every day. The solution is to drill a deep well equipped with a hand pump in each village. Unfortunately, the villagers do not have the financial means to do that. Please help us raise $10,000 to give access to drinking water to Kani, Komi, and Timan!

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Chad, a land-locked country in Central Africa, is one of the poorest in the world. The human development index of the country in 2021 leaves it in 190th place worldwide, out of 191 countries. Some of the basic needs of the population (access to drinking water, health, education, roads and transportation, etc.) are not fulfilled in many parts of the country, especially remote rural areas.

The three villages of Kani, Komi, and Timan are located in a remote area of the southern Guéra region in central Chad, which is one of the least developed in the country. Wells equipped with a manual pump have been built in villages nearby, mostly those that are along the main road. But for most villages, which are further away from the road, access to drinking water has been a major problem for years. And this problem is intensifying with the longer and longer droughts caused by climate change.

The well construction project is led locally by my friend Mahamat Issa, who lives in Sarh (the closest town), and is originally from one of these villages. Professional well-drillers in Sarh have quoted the project at $9,000. I want to raise a bit more, $10,000, to cover the costs of currency exchange and any additional unforeseen expenses.

When the goal is met, I will personally wire the money to M. Mahamat Issa, who will be overseeing the construction. As many of you know, I have spent thirteen years working in southern Chad. I have spent time in the three villages of Kani, Komi, and Timan, and I know the people well. I have been collaborating with many of them for over six years now to document their language (Fanya). Mahamat Issa and his family are personal friends. I also have independent collaborators and friends in Sarh who can visit, take pictures, and verify that construction is underway. I will be in Chad in May-June this year, helping with the supervision if the construction is not finished yet.

Thank you for whatever you can contribute to this effort. I will keep you updated as we go forward.