Conclusion of Wondo Lemeche Well Rehab Project – Ethiopia

This project has been completed, and Wondo Lemeche has a functioning well, once again. 

To read about the beginning of the project, CLICK HERE.

The following is the report: of Josh Elliot, who worked with Kyle Lomax to complete the project:

In the beginning, the village of Alemba da Town was the prospective village to receive this rehab.  The well in Alemba da Town, however, could not be repaired.  Therefore, another village was chosen in the area that also needed a well repaired.  The new site was  Wondo Lemeche and the project was to repair the well that had not functioned for two years.  Before that the water had a fine taste and appearance. 

Wondo Lemeche, the location of this project, is at an elevation of 1,600 meters.  The well is at a depth of 31 meters, and the pump type utilized for this project was an Afridev.  

Ukula Measo is 38 years old and is the matriarch of a 7-person household including her husband and five children.  Ukula and her family live in Wondo Lemeche.  Ukula and her husband are farmers who grow sorghum and maize to provide for their family and create a livelihood.  Ukula has five small children, and is always concerned about how to provide and care for them.

Before the well was repaired, Ukula and other women and girls from the community would collect water from a river that is about a mile and a half from their village.  Walking such a long distance, with heavy loads on their backs, would consume half the day for the women.  On top of that, the river water is not clean and has caused many health problems.  

With the well now repaired, Ukula is relieved of the burden of walking so far to collect water, and has access to safe and clean water that will benefit her family’s health.  Ukula said, “I am so thankful for this well.  Now I can have more time to be at home with my family, and more energy for other work.  I see smiles on my children’s faces when we are at the well because it is a source of clean water and life.”

All in all, this has been a very successful rehab project, and the villagers are thankful to Water Charity for bringing them clean water.

This project is the 5th in our Ethiopia Well Rehab Program, which is itself an initiative of our East Africa Water & Sanitation Program.

We would like to commend the joint effort Water Charity, WiLI, and Wine 2 Water, for executing this much-needed project.  Through collaboration, we were able to do this work for a fraction of what it would normally cost.