There are thousands of non-profit organizations around the world that run wonderful projects to benefit various segments of society. Each has a clear mission statement of the results they are working to try to accomplish, and most of them are honest and noble in their endeavors.
It is also true that most non-profit organizations are managed by companies with employees, equipment, capital, and established offices. The proportional amount of contributions actually used for humanitarian purposes varies.
An unusual non-profit, run by passionate people who give their all just to experience smiles and happiness, has roots right here in Murray.
In 2009, Pat Herath and her husband, Bob, became intrigued with Niger, a large landlocked country in north Africa. At that time, Pat was in Cambodia working on a water-well project when she received a phone call from Ron and Jerry Childs, asking if she would be willing to travel to Niger to assess the possibility of drilling wells there. The hope was to help people who have been basically without clean drinking water for centuries. They said the situation in Niger was so much worse than in Cambodia. Intrigued by this request, she and Bob traveled to Niger to look at the situation.
“I couldn’t imagine my children walking miles to gather putrid water. When my husband and I saw this, we had to do something”.
Located deep in the heart of the Sahara Desert, Niger has the distinction of being ranked 189 out of 189 countries worldwide, according to the 2024 UN Human Development Index, in the areas of health, education, income, and soul care. The average income per capita is $912 annually.
HEALTH: Fresh, clean water dramatically reduces waterborne illness. Especially among children, resulting in a healthier population.
EDUCATION: Healthy adults have more resources to give their families, like fresh food and the ability to send their children to School.
INCOME: A more educated population fosters economic growth by attracting new opportunities and ideas. Education has been shown to raise income levels in a community.
SOUL CARE: Increased health education and income relieve the burden of stress, reversing hopelessness, expanding a person's sense of spirituality.
In this extremely arid part of the world, water is found only in potholes and indentations where it might accumulate after a hard rain. And the average rainfall is just over 4 inches per year. The people have lived this way for centuries, and for the most part, continue to do so today.
When Pat and Bob began to develop their process of drilling for water and establishing wells in the area, they utilized the people of the villages to help with the work, which made them part of the investment. In addition to helping with drilling, some locals on-site are trained to maintain the equipment and keep the well in working order. This has also enabled them to continue drilling during periods of unrest when Americans were banned from visiting the area.
It soon became a family endeavor after their two boys became involved. Their youngest, Willie, is now the Operations Director. Ryan recently completed his first year as President of Murray Rotary.
Wells4Wellness began with 33 wells drilled in the first ten years now on pace to drill 1-2 per month, with a total of 172 wells in operation today. Locations for the wells come from a ‘wish list’ that includes churches, schools, orphanages, and clinics. Each site includes a ‘conversation wall’ to be utilized when a group is waiting for their water containers to be filled. A trough also occupies the area under the spigot to catch drips and run into a basin from which the animals can drink. Not one drop of water is wasted.
It is also true that most non-profit organizations are managed by companies with employees, equipment, capital, and established offices. The proportional amount of contributions actually used for humanitarian purposes varies.
An unusual non-profit, run by passionate people who give their all just to experience smiles and happiness, has roots right here in Murray.
In 2009, Pat Herath and her husband, Bob, became intrigued with Niger, a large landlocked country in north Africa. At that time, Pat was in Cambodia working on a water-well project when she received a phone call from Ron and Jerry Childs, asking if she would be willing to travel to Niger to assess the possibility of drilling wells there. The hope was to help people who have been basically without clean drinking water for centuries. They said the situation in Niger was so much worse than in Cambodia. Intrigued by this request, she and Bob traveled to Niger to look at the situation.
“I couldn’t imagine my children walking miles to gather putrid water. When my husband and I saw this, we had to do something”.
Located deep in the heart of the Sahara Desert, Niger has the distinction of being ranked 189 out of 189 countries worldwide, according to the 2024 UN Human Development Index, in the areas of health, education, income, and soul care. The average income per capita is $912 annually.
HEALTH: Fresh, clean water dramatically reduces waterborne illness. Especially among children, resulting in a healthier population.
EDUCATION: Healthy adults have more resources to give their families, like fresh food and the ability to send their children to School.
INCOME: A more educated population fosters economic growth by attracting new opportunities and ideas. Education has been shown to raise income levels in a community.
SOUL CARE: Increased health education and income relieve the burden of stress, reversing hopelessness, expanding a person's sense of spirituality.
In this extremely arid part of the world, water is found only in potholes and indentations where it might accumulate after a hard rain. And the average rainfall is just over 4 inches per year. The people have lived this way for centuries, and for the most part, continue to do so today.
When Pat and Bob began to develop their process of drilling for water and establishing wells in the area, they utilized the people of the villages to help with the work, which made them part of the investment. In addition to helping with drilling, some locals on-site are trained to maintain the equipment and keep the well in working order. This has also enabled them to continue drilling during periods of unrest when Americans were banned from visiting the area.
It soon became a family endeavor after their two boys became involved. Their youngest, Willie, is now the Operations Director. Ryan recently completed his first year as President of Murray Rotary.
Wells4Wellness began with 33 wells drilled in the first ten years now on pace to drill 1-2 per month, with a total of 172 wells in operation today. Locations for the wells come from a ‘wish list’ that includes churches, schools, orphanages, and clinics. Each site includes a ‘conversation wall’ to be utilized when a group is waiting for their water containers to be filled. A trough also occupies the area under the spigot to catch drips and run into a basin from which the animals can drink. Not one drop of water is wasted.
