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Victoria  Australia
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This is how we dig a water well in Mozambique

The story of water wells in Mozambique

These photos are from our trips into Mozambique and wells that our teams have constructed. Together they tell a story of WHY we dig, HOW we dig, and the RESULTS that come from each well.

Aussie volunteers are joined by the locals who love to sing while they work.  The locals also enjoy the same Aussie humor and fun that we love. This results in the inevitable - what do you do with all of that MUD we have just dug out ?

Follow the story of water wells in Mozambique left-to-right, top-to-bottom

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The colour in real life is the same - note the 'oil slick'

 

 

 

 

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Open wells like this allow animals or kids to fall in and drown. In 2009 one of our workers lost his 4yo nephew who drowned in a well while we were there.





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Children carry water from a very early age.
We have seen water carried 3 to 5 kms by children.
This happens many times each day.

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Even the very youngest head off to the nearest well





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This is a village near the Zambeze River you can see the crowd gathering as the well gets underway.
This well was essential as seven women getting water from the river were taken by crocodiles in the 2 1/2 months before we arrived.

 

 

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The Birth of a Well
The guys show how it's done!

 

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THEN YOU GIVE THE SHOVELS TO THE LADIES !
(Only joking ... you can't stop these ladies from working - even with babies on their backs. )

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Moving the soil away from the digging site is essential to help prevent cave- ins.
Babies just come along for the ride.







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As Jeff digs concrete 'rings' are placed in the hole to form the finished well and to stop any cave-ins. Digging below the rings causes them to drop in the hole the deeper you go - just add more rings.

These rings have tiny holes to make them porous which allows water to seep into the finished well.

 

 

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Rings arrive on the truck.


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Move those concrete rings ladies !


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The well is really underway and no big rocks yet !
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Matt ....... having fun.


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Hey Dave ........... it's only lunchtime !







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NOW THE GOING GETS TOUGH - WE COME TO WATER!
Once water is reached the digging has to continue well below the 'seep' level to ensure a good quantity of water that will be really clean.

 

 

 

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Definitely getting tougher ...........





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And tougher!! Take a breath duck to the bottom and dig some more......
So... who wants to come on a trip ??

 

 

 

 

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HOW TO GET OUT OF A WELL AND WHAT COMES NEXT
When the well is really deep you rely on the old bucket method to get out.   That is - IF you have worked hard or it's NO GO!

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Mozzies just like Aussies love to have fun.

What's better than a good old fashioned mud fight on a hot day......

 

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WE WON ! !
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 Time to get back and shower !