June 17, 2025
In the early morning hours, the distant hum of a truck engine sparks movement across Nioro. Children rush to alert their families: the water trucks are coming! For thousands in this farming and livestock-reliant region of Mali, that sound now means one thing: survival.
Mali is facing a worsening water crisis. Over 3.2 million people, including 1.7 million children, lack access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Climate change has only deepened the crisis, unleashing droughts and floods that devastate water supplies. In remote and underserved cities like Nioro, where resources are overstretched and contamination is common, clean water has become both a daily struggle and a source of tension.
To meet this urgent need, Zakat Foundation of America launched a water distribution project on March 26, 2025, aiming to reach 110,000 residents across 12 districts by June. In its first 30 days, a 4,000-liter water truck made 10 trips a day, delivering 40,000 liters daily. Each household received two barrels (400 liters) of clean water, enough to support over 1,000 people each day for drinking, cooking, and washing.
The arrival of the trucks is now celebrated with cheers, especially by families who once walked miles for unsafe water. With the support of local leaders and dedicated volunteers, this project is doing more than quenching thirst, it's restoring dignity, health, and community resilience.
In 2023, 90¢ from each dollar donated went directly toward programs serving those in need. 4¢ went to administrative costs & 6¢ went to fundraising costs.
