Fresh clean water is a fundamental right for all humans, no matter who they are or where they live. While in Ghana we have traveled to many cities, towns, and villages. Throughout our travels, a phrase that we often hear is “Water is Life!”. This phrase has multiple meanings, including the fact that fresh clean water is essential for life.

In Ghana we have seen first hand the necessity for clean water. We have observed people from villages bathe, wash clothes, and collect drinking/cooking water all from the same source. Oftentimes at the same time, and only a few yards away from each other. Animals drink, bathe, and swim in the same water. To make things worse, many of these water sources were already contaminated to begin with. The contamination can lead to infection and other health problems among for many people.

Many of the women, and sometimes men, from the various villages have to walk miles in order to get clean water. Walking to these sources of water can become time consuming and keep these villagers away from their families and other daily tasks. Safety can also be a concern for those walking far distances. According to a journal article titled “We are free when water is available”, “75% of households lacking access to in-house drinking water supply fall on women and girls for its supply.” That same article quoted a study involving 25 Sub-Saharan African countries that “estimated that women spend at least 16 million hours daily to collect drinking water….”.

In 2022 we had the pleasure to work with an organization called Meaningful Life International and observe as they drilled a borehole (well) in a remote village and provided them with clean water. The look of joy and elation on the villagers faces as fresh water began to flow from the newly bored hole is a memory that we will always have with us. To date, Meaningful Life International has drilled “30 boreholes serving thousands of families in the remotest of villages”.

On their webpage the organization states that: “Even though the government of Ghana is in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF Ghana) and is working to eradicate this menace, the infection of poor sanitation keeps expanding due to their inability to reach all the rural communities of Ghana. Meaningful Life International is doing its part in eradicating the problem by providing safe clean drinking water. Access to clean water is something every individual needs… water is life.” 

Meaningful Life International advised that by drilling the boreholes and providing water to these villages, there can be a reduction of 70% of the diseases caused by unclean water. Drilling of the boreholes will also “increase the chances of girls being allowed to go to school because they no longer have to walk miles to fetch the daily water needs of the family.”

Access to fresh water can literally change lives.