The Millennium Villages Project (MVP) is a “proof of concept” for fighting poverty at the village level and is designed to demonstrate how the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) can be met in rural Africa through community-led development. The Millennium Village initiative (www.MillenniumVillages.org)
By creating sustainable solutions – like dependable water infrastructure – through joint initiatives between public and private entities, significant progress can be make in terms of improving farm productivity, health, education, and access to markets.
An example of this type of collaboration is the partnership between the Millennium Villages Project and plastic pipe manufacturer JM Eagle (www.JMEagle.com)
The potential for extending the existing water distribution system was clearly identified in early 2007. The network at that time consisted of three highly productive tube wells which were used to supply groundwater to four large water towers. Unfortunately, due to the limited extent and capacity of the water transportation system, only 45% of the population was being served, while those people living outside of the network had to rely on open wells and other sources to meet their drinking water needs. Reaching the other 55% was the immediate objective of this collaborative partnership.
By adding a new piping network and providing some minor piping extensions to the existing network, piped drinking water coverage could be increased to nearly 80%. While JM Eagle agreed to donate all of the PVC pipes and fittings necessary to make this happen, MVP took responsibility for the installation and was also able to convince the Senegalese government to drill and equip a fifth tube well as well as install nearly 18 miles of additional piping to reach the villages near the new well. Because this well was found to be highly productive, 20 more miles of piping were added to the government’s proposed network, increasing the total piped water coverage to nearly 95%.
This collaborative effort is helping to create opportunities in Senegal that otherwise were impossible. By providing long-term solutions in terms of clean water access, development in other crucial areas can now be addressed. Bottom line: clean water is the link that takes people in the poorest communities toward improved health, agricultural productivity, and social and economic growth.
