It’s been a number of months since your donation was made.\u00a0 And at that time, we let you know a project was soon to be getting underway in Sierra Leone. \u00a0As you may have noticed, some of those project’s “completion dates” have come and gone.<\/p>\n
Frankly, we expected to be quite a bit farther along than we are on these water projects.\u00a0 We’re disappointed that there have been delays and we want to share with you the reasons behind them.<\/p>\n
At The Water Project, we work hard to be transparent – open – about everything we do.\u00a0 We’re glad our partners are too.\u00a0 Our friends on the ground in Sierra Leone have been incredibly helpful in sharing all the facts with us.\u00a0 This past week they gave us a very detailed update about our shared work.<\/p>\n
Because of everyone’s commitment to “get it right”, even with the delays, we’re more confident than ever that these will prove to be excellent water projects.\u00a0 Each will benefit a great number of people – for a very long time.
\n<\/p>\n
Let’s catch up…and see where we’re headed.<\/h4>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/thewaterproject.org\/community\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/DSCN1583-300x225.jpg\" "\\"DSCN1583\\"")
<\/a>Here a crew is working on the latrine pits and foundation at the Foo Foo Water Project<\/p><\/div>\n
Things are<\/em> happening.\u00a0 Currently, TWP and our partner are working on 11 Full WaSH projects at schools (well rehabs and new sanitation facilities) and 15 well-only rehabilitations.\u00a0 Work is underway simultaneously at various sites and there’s a lot of action on the ground.\u00a0 We’ve just updated a number of project reports to reflect those efforts.<\/p>\nWe’ve asked our partner to provide this type of information “as it happens” and they are working to improve on that communication.\u00a0 Some of the “delay” has been slow communication.<\/p>\n
To see if updates have been posted to your project, search using your email address here >><\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
But what’s the real hold up?<\/strong><\/h4>\nUsually, a well rehabilitation goes quickly. If fact, we had originally figured that all 26 projects would have at least the water portion of the project flowing by about June of this year.\u00a0 This was based on our past experience in the area. \u00a0Until recently, a “rehab” generally meant some new hardware, like pumps and seals, was all the work needed.<\/p>\n
Then… the drought came.<\/h4>\n
…and the wells dried up.\u00a0 It is now apparent that much more than new hardware will be needed.<\/p>\n
Here’s what our partner wrote to us…<\/p>\n
” Sierra Leone has experienced an exceptional drought season; in good conscience we cannot leave [a] community a [rehabilitated] well that we believe will go dry during the dry season.\u00a0 Instead, we work with the community to dig these wells deeper.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/thewaterproject.org\/community\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/DSCN1090-300x225.jpg\" "\\"Finishing")
<\/a>Digging by hand is hard and dangerous work.<\/p><\/div>\n
The problem is… digging these wells deeper is incredibly difficult and dangerous.\u00a0 These are hand dug wells.\u00a0 No machine, no big rig.\u00a0 It’s shovels and bare hands.\u00a0 It’s tough.\u00a0 Our partner continues…<\/p>\n
“A note from our team on digging wells deeper: ‘Going down into a hand dug well to dig it deeper is not easy and is not something that just anyone can do.\u00a0 It takes a skilled person to do this kind of work or there will be people dying.\u00a0 Recently, several people [not part of our projects] died while digging a well.\u00a0 One person was in the hole and passed out; another went in to save him, lost their breath, also passed out. Another person went down to try to bring them out and also passed out. A fourth person went down to try to save them and began to get fuzzy and was able to get out before passing out.\u00a0 The three in the hole died.\u00a0 Since the beginning of this year, eight people have died while digging hand dug wells [in the area].\u00a0 We do not want this kind of a situation on our hands.\u00a0 We are doing the well rehabs to the best of our ability.’<\/p>\n
We haven\u2019t experienced this issue with wells [in Sierra Leone] in the past.\u00a0 Of course, when we rehab a borehole, we normally don\u2019t see this type of issue.\u00a0 However, most of the rehabs we are currently working on are hand-dug wells \u2013 and are presenting some new challenges.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
So, we’re simply not going to be fixing as many wells as we thought this year.\u00a0 But that’s ok.<\/p>\n
The most important measure of our work is not how many wells we can dig or fix – or how fast we can do it.\u00a0 What matters most, is that these communities gain access to clean water for the long-term.\u00a0 To get it right, we need to take our time.<\/p>\n
It would be easier, and it would look great on our website to ignore the drying wells and simply say “We fixed 26 wells in a month!”.\u00a0 It would make a great headline.\u00a0 But if and when those wells would have run dry, what would have been solved? \u00a0We believe that you chose to join us in this work because we’re committed to doing it right and making it last.\u00a0 And we’re thankful for your support and your patience as we do just that.<\/p>\n
Getting back on track…<\/h4>\n
There’s no getting around the extra time and effort it will take to dig these wells deeper.\u00a0 The delays will take a toll on our ability to finish them in the time we originally promised. In fact, our partner is now estimating that four of the Full WaSH projects likely won’t even begin until 2012.<\/p>\n
So here’s what we’re going to do.<\/h4>\n
We don’t like to have funding just sit around waiting.\u00a0 One of TWPs most important functions is to help our various partners balance their funding so they’re always working – all while getting funds into the field responsibly and quickly.<\/p>\n
We’re going to reallocate funds from the four projects that are “waiting” to other ready-to-go water projects in Rwanda.\u00a0 These well projects are also desperately needed.\u00a0 By doing so, we’ll get the funds to work sooner and communities there will benefit in just a few months (the time needed for construction and community development).<\/p>\n
To see if your project is being reallocated, search using your email address here >><\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nWe won’t leave the waiting communities behind though.\u00a0 We’ll continue to raise money for these delayed projects so they will still get done. And if you’d rather keep your donation in Sierra Leone and wait with us, please let us know<\/a>.\u00a0 We’ll make that happen.<\/p>\nPerseverance is a gift too<\/h4>\n
It’s disappointing that these projects are delayed, but not because we all have to wait to see results, as much as that stinks.\u00a0 Rather, it’s disappointing because we’re reminded yet again how hard this work really is.\u00a0 We all want to find a simple, fast, repeatable solution.\u00a0 We want a quick fix.\u00a0 But there isn’t one.\u00a0 So many things can and do go wrong.\u00a0 New obstacles pop up all the time.\u00a0 And providing clean, safe water to those in need takes more willing hands and feet – and the training to use them – then we have.\u00a0 Today, there just aren’t enough folks in the toughest places to work, like Sierra Leone and Rwanda.<\/p>\n
One of reasons we do what we do at The Water Project is to keep funds flowing to our partners so they can concentrate on training and equipping more<\/em> hands – without the worry of funding their work.\u00a0 Our role is to encourage and enable them to train more teams and equip more communities\u00a0 so the water crisis can be solved from the inside out.<\/p>\nWe can’t thank you enough for being a part of that with us.<\/strong><\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/thewaterproject.org\/community\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/DSCN1583.jpg\" "\\"DSCN1583\\"")
<\/a>Here a crew is working on the latrine pits and foundation at the Foo Foo Water Project<\/p><\/div>\n
Things are<\/em> happening.\u00a0 Currently, TWP and our partner are working on 11 Full WaSH projects at schools (well rehabs and new sanitation facilities) and 15 well-only rehabilitations.\u00a0 Work is underway simultaneously at various sites and there’s a lot of action on the ground.\u00a0 We’ve just updated a number of project reports to reflect those efforts.<\/p>\n We’ve asked our partner to provide this type of information “as it happens” and they are working to improve on that communication.\u00a0 Some of the “delay” has been slow communication.<\/p>\n To see if updates have been posted to your project, search using your email address here >><\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Usually, a well rehabilitation goes quickly. If fact, we had originally figured that all 26 projects would have at least the water portion of the project flowing by about June of this year.\u00a0 This was based on our past experience in the area. \u00a0Until recently, a “rehab” generally meant some new hardware, like pumps and seals, was all the work needed.<\/p>\n …and the wells dried up.\u00a0 It is now apparent that much more than new hardware will be needed.<\/p>\n Here’s what our partner wrote to us…<\/p>\n ” Sierra Leone has experienced an exceptional drought season; in good conscience we cannot leave [a] community a [rehabilitated] well that we believe will go dry during the dry season.\u00a0 Instead, we work with the community to dig these wells deeper.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Digging by hand is hard and dangerous work.<\/p><\/div>\n The problem is… digging these wells deeper is incredibly difficult and dangerous.\u00a0 These are hand dug wells.\u00a0 No machine, no big rig.\u00a0 It’s shovels and bare hands.\u00a0 It’s tough.\u00a0 Our partner continues…<\/p>\n “A note from our team on digging wells deeper: ‘Going down into a hand dug well to dig it deeper is not easy and is not something that just anyone can do.\u00a0 It takes a skilled person to do this kind of work or there will be people dying.\u00a0 Recently, several people [not part of our projects] died while digging a well.\u00a0 One person was in the hole and passed out; another went in to save him, lost their breath, also passed out. Another person went down to try to bring them out and also passed out. A fourth person went down to try to save them and began to get fuzzy and was able to get out before passing out.\u00a0 The three in the hole died.\u00a0 Since the beginning of this year, eight people have died while digging hand dug wells [in the area].\u00a0 We do not want this kind of a situation on our hands.\u00a0 We are doing the well rehabs to the best of our ability.’<\/p>\n We haven\u2019t experienced this issue with wells [in Sierra Leone] in the past.\u00a0 Of course, when we rehab a borehole, we normally don\u2019t see this type of issue.\u00a0 However, most of the rehabs we are currently working on are hand-dug wells \u2013 and are presenting some new challenges.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n So, we’re simply not going to be fixing as many wells as we thought this year.\u00a0 But that’s ok.<\/p>\n The most important measure of our work is not how many wells we can dig or fix – or how fast we can do it.\u00a0 What matters most, is that these communities gain access to clean water for the long-term.\u00a0 To get it right, we need to take our time.<\/p>\n It would be easier, and it would look great on our website to ignore the drying wells and simply say “We fixed 26 wells in a month!”.\u00a0 It would make a great headline.\u00a0 But if and when those wells would have run dry, what would have been solved? \u00a0We believe that you chose to join us in this work because we’re committed to doing it right and making it last.\u00a0 And we’re thankful for your support and your patience as we do just that.<\/p>\n There’s no getting around the extra time and effort it will take to dig these wells deeper.\u00a0 The delays will take a toll on our ability to finish them in the time we originally promised. In fact, our partner is now estimating that four of the Full WaSH projects likely won’t even begin until 2012.<\/p>\n We don’t like to have funding just sit around waiting.\u00a0 One of TWPs most important functions is to help our various partners balance their funding so they’re always working – all while getting funds into the field responsibly and quickly.<\/p>\n We’re going to reallocate funds from the four projects that are “waiting” to other ready-to-go water projects in Rwanda.\u00a0 These well projects are also desperately needed.\u00a0 By doing so, we’ll get the funds to work sooner and communities there will benefit in just a few months (the time needed for construction and community development).<\/p>\n To see if your project is being reallocated, search using your email address here >><\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n We won’t leave the waiting communities behind though.\u00a0 We’ll continue to raise money for these delayed projects so they will still get done. And if you’d rather keep your donation in Sierra Leone and wait with us, please let us know<\/a>.\u00a0 We’ll make that happen.<\/p>\n It’s disappointing that these projects are delayed, but not because we all have to wait to see results, as much as that stinks.\u00a0 Rather, it’s disappointing because we’re reminded yet again how hard this work really is.\u00a0 We all want to find a simple, fast, repeatable solution.\u00a0 We want a quick fix.\u00a0 But there isn’t one.\u00a0 So many things can and do go wrong.\u00a0 New obstacles pop up all the time.\u00a0 And providing clean, safe water to those in need takes more willing hands and feet – and the training to use them – then we have.\u00a0 Today, there just aren’t enough folks in the toughest places to work, like Sierra Leone and Rwanda.<\/p>\n One of reasons we do what we do at The Water Project is to keep funds flowing to our partners so they can concentrate on training and equipping more<\/em> hands – without the worry of funding their work.\u00a0 Our role is to encourage and enable them to train more teams and equip more communities\u00a0 so the water crisis can be solved from the inside out.<\/p>\n We can’t thank you enough for being a part of that with us.<\/strong><\/p>\nBut what’s the real hold up?<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Then… the drought came.<\/h4>\n
<\/a>Getting back on track…<\/h4>\n
So here’s what we’re going to do.<\/h4>\n
Perseverance is a gift too<\/h4>\n