Zakat Foundation of America performs water well construction in a variety of countries in East and West Africa in areas of greatest need, and hand pumps in Southeast Asia.
The construction of an entire well is $3,000 with a 6% overhead cost included per well, and $500 for one hand pump. It may take up to one year to complete the construction of a well and up to 8 months to construct a hand pump; however, this is rare, and, under extreme conditions such as political turmoil, the time frame may be prolonged.
As part of a collaborative process, our team’s on-the-ground partner with local organizations who work alongside individuals in their respective communities to successfully complete the construction of each water project.
Each well has a lifespan of up to 30 years and each pump has a lifespan of up to 15 years, depending on the maintenance, the weather conditions, and the material with which it had been constructed.
Water well types vary from country to country based on preference. Mali, Mauritania, and Cambodia utilize a pulley. Kenya, Ghana, and India work with a pump on top of the well. Furthermore, beneficiaries range from region to region. If your water is well constructed in a more metropolitan region, there will be more traffic and more beneficiaries (ranging anywhere from 500-1000). If it is in a more rural region there will be fewer beneficiaries (150-300).
All water projects take anywhere from 6 - 8 months* to complete.
*Subject to varying time frames, due to various reasons such as weather, access, equipment, paperwork, health outbreaks, and human resources.