Together, we can quench the thirst of millions who
have no access to clean and safe water.
The Water Crisis in Africa
The current crisis has seriously impacted Africa, where 25 million people lack access to water and basic hand-washing facilities. Without water, which in the West we take for granted, the poor cannot take the necessary measures to curb the spread of the virus.
This Ramadan, we are urgently scaling up our work to install water wells in areas where people need them most, to provide access to water for drinking and sanitation to help the poor protect themselves in this global crisis.
The Al-Ansari Foundation has been drilling for water to get access to clean and safe water to large communities for almost a decade. Our wells are built across Zanzibar and its neighbouring islands. We believe in gifting water for life and ensuring that our wells are a sustainable source of water for years to come.
Water Is the Best Charity. Why?
The humanitarian rationale for donating water needs no explanation. Water is the life force that keeps our bodies running and alive. It is also the most needed element in a household—used for washing, cooking, watering the cultures, and quenching the thirst of the animals.
Essentially, having access to water is a human right and it still baffles us how so many people in Africa are being denied this right. Your donations have the power to save lives by reviving entire communities and making sure everyone gets access to safe water to drink, wash, and use for farming.
But giving water is also an amazing act of charity in the eyes of Allah (swt). There are numerous hadiths on the virtues of giving people water. The most famous among them says:
“The best charity is giving water to drink” [Ahmad].
To give water is also a way to give Sadaqah Jariyah—the continuous charity that will benefit entire generations and will bring infinite rewards to the giver and their family, especially in Ramadan.
How Much Does a Water Well Cost?
The cost of a deep borehole water well tower (up to 120m deep) is £2,500 for the island of Zanzibar, and £3,000 for Pemba Island, due to its more difficult to reach geographical configuration.
This cost includes an electric motorised pump that extracts the water, so it can be more easily accessed by the locals.
At Al-Ansari, we provide water supplies that are free from pollutants, and our wells are built to last.
We have a dedicated water team, as well as professional drilling machines, trucks, and specialist equipment. We ensure that our donors are kept well-informed of the process from start to finish through an allocated member of our team in the UK.
Our current water wells serve over 45,000 people a day, Alhamdulillah!
Providing water wells is a continuous form of Sadaqah, rewarding the giver for as long as the well supplies water – even after one’s death. It is narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“There are seven deeds for which deeds are written for a person even after he dies in his grave, among them is digging a well.” [Saheeh Al-Targheeeb]