Dakar: Believers Aid in Water Crisis

October 2, 2013

By an Alliance worker serving in Dakar, Senegal

Last month a major water supply pipe into our city broke in two places, resulting in many of the 4 million residents losing access to running water.

Water was restored in some communities for a couple days, but for most of the population the last three weeks have been a nightmare. The first cases of dysentery have been reported, and the fear is that cholera is not far off.

In addition to the health risks, some people are forced to walk two miles daily—during the hottest time of year—to collect the water their families need for the day. Imagine doing this every day for three weeks and not knowing when it will end. Imagine hospitals and prisons dealing with this kind of water shortage.

What We’re Doing

We asked a doctor here, who serves with the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, to tell us the best thing that could be done to help. She told us to buy and distribute Aquatabs and explain to people how they work while dispensing them. These inexpensive water purifying tablets are available in Dakar in bulk quantities.

During the past three days, we have partnered with our local church to coordinate this distribution. With the first donations received, we were able to purchase the tablets and begin dispensing them through a local Christian clinic.

Our next step, in partnership with others who are donating to this cause, is to distribute Aquatabs in Dakar’s four most affected neighborhoods. We’re cooperating with the local government and hospitals to ensure that each of the 400,000 people living in these areas receives two tabs to purify 10 gallons—a month’s supply of drinking water.

We will be able to supply the tablets to these neighborhoods as soon as the distribution channels are in place.