Eritrea

Let's return to Eritrea, to one of its villages, in the Gash-Barca region. Only a few months ago, on these pages Sermig's desire to continue, in an arduous context, to fuel the hopes of peace and a simple and peaceful life for his people was reiterated. In particular, through projects in villages, to preserve very precarious lives. The commitment together with those who are next to those people day by day has already made it possible to give the first concrete answers in a short time.

The name doesn't say much about the village in question. It is no different from the others, immersed in a landscape where the long dry season always seems to erase every form of life once and for all; except that the vegetation, tenaciously, remains in ambush to amaze by being reborn at the first modest rains. Rain has always been less than punctual, but for years now it has been less and less predictable and, worse still, erratic. Fear for the harvest here is fear for survival itself.

There has actually been a difference for a few weeks: having clean, good water in good quantities, every day, is no longer a mirage. Water, so humble and precious... A drilling carried out a few years ago was "left pending". Thanks to a good technical project and the help that was able to be put in place, it was rehabilitated. Thus putting into operation a well approximately 45 meters deep, and above all with a truly remarkable flow rate - 4 litres/second - of excellent quality water.
An outcome that goes beyond what was hoped for, serving 500 families; at least two thousand people have access to water for drinking, cooking, personal use, for their animals, and for some cultivation.

The pumping is carried out with a photovoltaic submersible pump, powered by a set of 15 300W panels: a system of considerable size, necessary to manage the significant flow rate, exploiting the only abundant resource, the sun. The distribution is made temporarily with a 1000 liter PE tank. The construction of a larger concrete tank is being completed, with a basin and fountains from which to draw. Good news where it is needed so much. The smiles in the images are authentic relief for a more dignified life, finally with some more security.

This is just the beginning. A first, important realization in a work program that includes the rehabilitation of wells in several other villages: technically completely feasible, and which would finally offer benefits in those places too positive outlook.

The construction site is open. Thank you very much for everything you can do to provide more concrete answers soon! A big difference…


Mauro Palombo
NP August / September 2023

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