water wells in developing countries

[VulcanWoman]

This is a genuine question I'm asking here, not trying to cause offence. Does anyone know why villages in developing countries do not already have water wells and need charities to come in and dig/build them. The Women and children seem to have to struggle to carry water for miles, number 1, why aren't the Men doing it or helping and number 2 why don't the Men dig the wells? There is a commercial on the TV, the CO OP, they give some of their profits to water projects, a local Man is seen walking through his village saying 'give my village water', why isn't he digging the water well?

[MrsLeighHalfpenny]

Err, there has to be underground water for there to be a water well.

[LemonPied]

www.wateraid.org/uk/faqs#/our-work/1

[VulcanWoman]

Mrs, yes I understand that but it still doesn't answer the question, why haven't the locals already done it, obviously water is one of the basic needs of life, year after year and a local community can't organise a well building between themselves.

Lemon, thank you for the link, I did read the Wateraid info before posting but it still didn't answer my question. I also read some info on the fact that millions has been spent on these water wells and are now not in use or need repairing, did the local community not learn how to repair and maintain them or are they just not doing it.

[VivaLeBeaver]

I always assumed the water might be very deep down. So deep enough to need machinery rather than it being reachable by a spade. The average village won't have the machines. Plus the well shaft will need to be lined with cement rings or the soil will just keep falling in. Again, expense, equipment and engineering expereince which they won't have.

[VulcanWoman]

Viva, I can see your point but surely a basic well could be built without large machinery.
I've just had another look at the Wateraid website and most, if not all of the pictures are of women and children struggling carrying/collecting water, where and what are the men doing.

[VivaLeBeaver]

thewaterproject.org/digging-wells-in-africa-and-india-how-it-works

Does this explain any better? It talks about needing to dig down a minimum of 50ft, maybe 200ft. And how uncovered basic wells get contaminated and are dangerous to dig.

I think culturally water collection is seen as house work. I worked in rural Uganda for a while and that was certainly the impression I got. the men are out working or farming.

[YeOldeTrout]

Water is being mined long term, so the old wells dry up & new ones need digging.

[VulcanWoman]

Thank you for the link Viva.