A Healthier World, One Water Pump at a Time

In Cameroon, one often hears the phrase, “water is life.”  It’s true – water is a necessity of all living things, and providing clean, disease-free water to all seven billion people on Earth is a growing challenge.  According to the World Health Organization, 1.1 billion people currently lack any access to a potable water source, putting them at risk for a multitude of diseases, including cholera, dysentery, and intestinal parasites.  Additionally, 1.6 million people die from diarrheal diseases every year, and 90 percent of these deaths are children.

In the Adamaoua Region, cow herding is a common economic activity. The herds often wade through streams, contaminating the local water sources.The Adamaoua region of Cameroon, is home to the Fulbe ethnic group, a traditionally nomadicgroup that practices cow herding and is present throughout West Africa. To this day, cow herding remains a major economic activity, and it is common that herds wade through rivers and streams, contaminating the water source. 

Community Members in Beka Hossere build the water pumpBreaking Ground’s most recent project, funded by Memorial Flavia, is a water project in Beka Hossere, a village of 20,000 residents in the Adamaoua Region.  Recently, our executive director, Paul, traveled up to survey the progress, as the construction is currently underway.  Construction began in April, and when finished, the water pump will supply 3500 inhabitants of Beka Hossere with potable water, providing these people with a basic human right.  The project is scheduled to be finished at the end of June 2016.