Typical water supply for a Nepali village
Living in the West, we take clean water for granted. Not only is our water generally free from harmful bacteria, we have it every time we need it. That’s not the case in Nepal, where each village is dependent on water that comes from higher on the mountain and is typically delivered to a central spot, where jugs are filled and where kids, adults, clothes and dishes are washed. From a hygiene perspective, it leaves a lot to be desired.
A helping hand from outside
Basa Village Foundation USA approved an engineering plan and raised USD $29,000 so that this small Nepali village could be an exception to the norm. The entirely volunteer and local labor force from Basa Village is making great progress on their new water system. What doesn’t seem hard for us isn’t the same in this part of the world. The Village of Basa doesn’t have heavy equipment and the work is done completely by hand. And the water isn’t nearby, the distance they need to carry water is a 20 to 30 minute walk away.
They needed a new water system because the previous system was poorly constructed and never fully completed, leaving the northern third of the village without water. While there were taps outside some houses before, 19 taps will be installed so that every cluster of homes will have a tap a short distance away.
It takes a village
Additionally, all of the pipes, cement mix and other components had to be hand carried over the mountains from the nearest road. Sand and gravel needs to be brought up from the river, thousands of feet below, to mix concrete. It truly takes a village to provide the level of effort of a project of this magnitude.
Ben Snyder, the resident engineer for Basa Village Foundation USA, travelled to the village in September 2012 to GPS map the plans and make sure the materials were appropriately factored in. In Ben’s words, “It is great to see the pictures as the project develops and to know that Basa Village will have a better quality of life. I’m very happy to see it happening.”
More to be done
While the water system is very good by Nepali standards, there is continued work to be done to ensure the water supply is filtered and free from dangerous bacteria. If you’d like to participate in our efforts to make Nepal a better place, please donate to the Basa Village Foundation USA at the top left of this page.
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We recently received pictures from Basa Village showing the ongoing renovation of 62 homes in the village. The April 2015 earthquake caused extensive damage across the country and hit every family in Basa. With USD $41,000 in fundraising from the Basa Village Foundation USA (the sister organization), Basa Village Foundation Nepal has led the work to rebuild every home and create a safe place for villagers to live.
