The Morija strategy for providing drinking water

The Valais humanitarian organization Morija, which is particularly active in two countries of the Sahel, is eager to support the step taken by the Genevan national councillor Carlo Sommaruga reported in the daily newspaper Le Matin of 19 June. Along with approximately fifty members of parliament, Mr Sommaruga is asking the Federal Council to promote water as a new human right on an international level.

Morija is very familiar with this tragedy of a lack of water, or its poor quality. In fact, Morija has led a “Wells” project in Burkina Faso for 16 years now and for two years in Chad. During this time, 360 wells have been dug and 87 restored giving one hundred and sixty-eight thousand people access to drinking water.

Dirty water or a lack of water is responsible for the death of five million people each year, including three million children. However, on a wider scale, if there is a water crisis there is also a development crisis. In its Millennium Objectives the UN declares that, “it is necessary to ensure sustainable development by halving the percentage of the population that does not have sustainable access to a supply of drinking water.”* Beyond words there is action: NGOs, churches and governments must work together to achieve these objectives.

On a scale that Morija would like to be much larger, the construction of simple and functional wells has saved many lives. However, access to water also brings other victories such as personal hygiene, but also a watering place for cattle and water for gardens that would otherwise never have existed. The fruit and vegetables grown in these gardens are essential for a healthier diet and the surplus can be sold by the women on the markets, thus providing a small income which is sometimes enough to finance a child’s schooling.

Such are the successes that Morija has achieved over 16 years. As the head of a village in Burkina Faso, which was equipped with a well, said, “The dream of my village has become reality”. Therefore, Morija supports the steps of Carlo Sommaruga and asserts as he does that water is a human right.

It takes very little to save lives and ensure a sustainable supply of water. In fact it only costs between CHF 5,000 and CHF 12,000 to build a well.

Therefore, Morija needs the support of everyone to develop its “Wells” campaign in Burkina Faso and Chad. Any donation is welcome; please indicate that it is for the “Wells” project. Thank you to everyone who is generous enough to offer the people of the Sahel access to a very precious liquid.

* Also the period 2005-2015 has been declared by the UN as the “International Decade for Action 'Water for Life'.”

Morija Association
21 june 2006

For additional information: Madame Christiane Raboud and/or www.morija.org - journal 213 l’eau, c’est la vie

Tél. 024 472 80 70

For 27 years, Morija has come to the aid of starving children, orphans, widows and the most underprivileged. Today, this fight against death and poverty continues due to 14 projects developed in Burkina Faso, Chad, Togo and Cameroon.