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Rural Industry Project

We are developing techniques for drilling tube wells at a cost of about $400 for a 20m deep well including a locally-made hand pump, and producing high quality concrete fence posts. The most important part of this project is in training local entrepreneurs to copy our projects and establish their own businesses, thereby multiplying our work and adding a double benefit to the local economy, introducing both needed products and new businesses.

How Many People Served:  The region has a population of about 200,000. We have so far drilled wells that have benefited approximately 200 people, although we expect this to multiply exponentially as local businesses are trained and released.

Project Timeframe:  This is an ongoing project, needing long-term partners.

Why the Project is Needed:  The south of Mauritania has the greatest rainfall and the greatest potential for agricultural development. However it is also far removed from the more developed coastal regions of Mauritania so is lacking in supplies and technology. Many people in the region are beginning to plant gardens and fields, but struggle with two basic necessities: water and fencing. Without these, many projects fail or profits are severely reduced due to high costs and losses to animals. A typical 20m-deep hand-dug well costs upwards of $4000 – 10 times what our wells cost – and fences are such poor quality that they are not effective beyond one or two years’ duration.

Funding Need: We have already raised our startup costs and are working at establishing our new workshop, although we also need to raise an additional $40,000 to purchase a new vehicle that will be needed in 2016. The project costs approximately $26,000 per year to run. We welcome donations and pledges for ongoing project support.

Project distinctives:

  1. The project uses only locally-available resources. We do not use tools or materials that are not available to local people.
  2. We develop technologies that are easy to maintain by end users, so they are not dependent upon technicians for repairs.
  3. By helping new businesses to form, we are multiplying our own efforts and helping families provide for their own needs.
  4. By targeting market bottlenecks, our work has a far-reaching multiplicative effect.

The apprenticeship program allows us to invest extended time with key local entrepreneurs, training them in technical and business skills that will serve them for many years and benefit their families.