In Benin, a West African country of over 13 million people, access to clean, safe drinking water remains a critical challenge. While the nation has made progress in education and healthcare, nearly 40% of people living in rural areas still lack access to basic drinking water services. For children, this crisis is particularly severe. In many communities, students walk long distances, sometimes several kilometers, to collect water from contaminated sources such as ponds or rivers. These unsafe water sources are often shared with livestock and lack any kind of filtration, exposing children to life-threatening diseases like cholera, diarrhea, and typhoid. The health risks are serious, but they also have a ripple effect. Without clean water at school, children, especially girls, miss class to fetch water or recover from illness. Over time, this disruption can lead to school dropouts and reinforce the cycle of poverty.
To address this urgent need, Embrace Relief is bringing clean water directly to the source of children’s futures: their schools. Through our Clean Water Initiative, we are building deep-water wells next to schools in underserved regions of Benin, ensuring students have immediate and daily access to safe, drinkable water. Each well taps into underground aquifers to provide clean, naturally filtered water to more than 1,000 people, including students, teachers, and nearby residents. These wells are not only strategically placed but also built to last. Each well costs $3,500 to construct and includes a five-year maintenance warranty, ensuring that the community has continued support and access for years to come. By eliminating the need for long and dangerous walks to fetch water, these wells keep children in the classroom, improve public health, and support broader development within the community.
Thanks to our generous supporters, Embrace Relief has already brought clean water to hundreds of communities across Africa and South Asia. Now, in Benin, we’re continuing that mission, one well at a time. Clean water isn’t just about hydration; it’s about dignity, safety, and the right to a future. With your help, we can ensure that every child in Benin can learn, grow, and thrive with clean water by their side.
