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Wells Program
The Tabitha Foundation has developed the Buy A Well Project to help improve the quality of life for Cambodian families by providing something everyone is entitled to —CLEAN WATER.
The Tabitha Wells program runs in parallel with the “Community Development through Savings” program. This program enables families to have access to clean, potable water and to raise a family’s income significantly. Before a family receives a well, they must be in the savings program. Without a distinct change in attitude and the development of a dream, wells will not impact a family’s development.
In the 2011-2012, Tabitha Cambodia intends to build 2,500 sources of water throughout the country. All Tabitha wells are tested for arsenic contamination
Although Cambodia
is blessed with an abundant water table containing clean,
potable water, much of its population is too poor to afford the construction
of a water well. Average family earnings total less than $1 per day,
with the environment exacerbating the poverty, as Cambodians endure
annual cycles of flood and drought. With
the help of concerned individuals all over the world Tabitha is slowly changing
this situation.
Water Security in Cambodia
In the absence of safe wells, drinking water is sometimes taken from open ponds or rivers which are commonly polluted with excreta or chemicals. Villagers (and most importantly children) often develop dysentery.
The average distance to walk to a safe water source is 3 kilometers. This means that several members of the family are required to wake at 4 in the morning, walk to the water source and then wait their turn for water – usually 3 to 4 hours. This precludes a number of children from attending school.
Since a person is only able to carry several containers of water at a time, it means that family members often develop skin rashes, their hair becomes stiff and dull and eyes are infected with dirt related causes because of their inability to wash on a daily basis.
Water Sources and an Increase in Income
Without a sustainable source of clean water near their homes, families are restricted in their ability to increase their incomes. Animal husbandry or growing crops is impossible without an ongoing source of water available.
Crops (mainly rice) are grown during the wet season. However, because rainfall tends to be erratic – wet season crops may fail because of inadequate sources of water – wells provide that water.
During the long dry season no crops will grow unless a reliable source of water is secured. Wells and ponds provide that security. Families with wells or ponds grow “6-week’ vegetables, including “morning glory”, peas, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, etc. throughout the dry season as well as summer rice. Animal husbandry, the raising of pig, chickens, ducks are an integral part of income generation from wells.
Their productive growth seasons expand from 6 months to an average of 11 months per year thereby tripling a family’s consumable income as well as providing food security.
Health
Tabitha wells improve the health of Cambodian families by decreasing the incidence
of diarrhea and infection, improving infant mortality rates and increasing work
productivity. Additionally, having clean water to maintain vegetable gardens
and livestock provides Cambodian families an opportunity to establish a steady
income. Children, who normally spend their day fetching water from a community
well, now can go to school.
Please join Tabitha Foundation's compassionate donor community. . A certificate or gift card can be mailed to the designated recipient. Consider buying a well as a gift or in memoriam.
Click here to buy a well, or download the form to send in a cheque.
How wells are dug:
Locally trained well drillers are contracted in each of our project areas. That is why the quality is so good and the drillers know what they are doing. They are drilling in areas where the people know them and they know the people. There is a 6 month complete warranty on all wells dug and the parts are easily replaced locally. Families are trained in maintenance and upkeep.
It takes about 2 weeks for the complete drilling, install the hand pump and for the 1 metre cement skirt to set. Pumps come with an extra spigot to allow for a diesel pump to be added for irrigation.
Types of wells:
Three types of wells are used by Tabitha Cambodia – the decision on which type will be used in an area depends on the type and quality of water available and end use.
1. FAMILY WELLS Cost: $150
Family wells are constructed near the family’s homes and are used for household water supplies, kitchen gardens and animal husbandry. Two main varieties of family wells are used; the decision on which type will be used in an area depends on the type and quality of water available.
Tube Wells:
A machine drills a pipe to reach the aquifer –usually 50-60 metres down. A hand pump is placed at the top of the pipe allowing water to be pumped to the surface. A cement apron is placed around the well. Tube wells are used whenever possible, that is when good quality water can be found in deeper aquifers. The cost includes the well, hand pump and a 1 metre cement skirt.
Open Wells:
The families dig a hole about 10-15 metres deep.
Cement pipes are then used to keep the well open
and rise more than 1 metre from the ground. Tops
are placed over the well to prevent pollution and
villagers are taught about correct sanitary well
maintenance.
Open wells are used when deeper water is
brackish or polluted, preventing the use of tube
wells. They supply at least 5 families ( 40 people).
2. FIELD WELLS Cost: $250
Field wells are constructed in the fields where crops are grown; sometimes well away from the family’s home. Each well typically supplies two families with enough irrigation water to grow crops year round- an average of 2-3 hectares of land. As with tube wells, a machine drills down into the aquifer and a plastic pipe to the surface is installed allowing water to be pumped to the surface.
Families then either save for a petrol-powered pump or rent a pump from a villager who has one.
Deeper and wider than an open well, they can irrigate up to 4 hectares.
3. FIELD PONDS Cost: $300
Family field ponds are used in areas where the water table is dispersed. In these areas water seeps up through the soil, providing a constant source of fresh water. Family field ponds fill by seepage from the water table and provide household water and water for irrigation – on average - 2-4 hectares of land.
These are about 10 X 7 metres and about 3-4 metres deep. They supply several families with drinking and some irrigation water.
Cost: $300
4. COMMUNITY RESERVOIRS Cost: $3000
These large water storages are used in areas without other sources of water. They fill in the wet season and provide communities with drinking and household water during the dry season. A reservoir usually serves 500 hundred families or more. No income is earned from the reservoir.
About 20 X 30 metres, these large ponds have a cement retaining wall and steps. The community assists with digging these ponds, which are usually constructed at the site of previous community ponds abandoned during the Pol Pot era.
These reservoirs are rare and only upon request of villagers and leaders in the communities.
WATER JARS
In addition, earthen water jars are used to store
well water or to collect rain water.
WATER STORAGE TANKS
The water storage tanks are a new initiative in communities where there is no water table for wells or ponds. They are made of cement rings. Cost: $150
How do families apply for a well:
Families in the Tabitha Savings Program save for a well, as they do other “dreams”. It usually takes the three families about 6-8 months on average to save their $20.00 - some faster - some longer.
For more information contact us at tabitha.wells@yahoo.ca
Please contact us for more information on how you can help with wells.
