2015 Projects

Nakura, Kenya, Africa

Franklin Wells for the World Foundation responded to the appeals of a Kenyan schoolmaster trying to provide for the needs of sixty students, most of whom were AIDs orphans. With no fresh water at the school except for rainwater collected off the roof, students often had to carry in water from polluted ponds and rivers up to ten kilometers away.

In 2015, FWWF drilled a 130 meter deep borehole on the school grounds, installed the pump system—and radically changed life at the school, which now serves over 300 students. The availability of safe, fresh water has reduced water-borne disease and made vegetable cultivation possible, greatly improving the childrens’ nutrition—and even supplying surplus vegetables that are sold to fund other school needs.

Unlike well-intentioned—but not well-executed—wells installed by other charities and NGO’s, the Nakuru well has proven the sustainability of the FWWF model. By bringing together a local team of water professionals and installing a system designed for the conditions and needs of the village or school, fresh water can become a reliable and transformative resource.

Bilvant Village, Vadodara Region, Gujarat, India

In June, 2015, Franklin Wells for the World Foundation partnered with the Shroffs Foundation Trust to provide fresh water to the rural Indian village of Bilvant in Gujarat State. Using Franklin Electric’s SolarPak solar pumping technology, the 30,000 liter cistern and elevated tank system delivers running water to the homes of approximately 100 villagers.

The Shroffs Foundation Trust identified the site as a good candidate for a solar pumping system, a village with no power and only one hand pump. Franklin Electric and our partner company, Pluga Pumps provided the logistics, planning, and the product solution. After drilling a 300 foot deep bore well, the Franklin team installed a 1.1 kW Franklin Electric solar pumping system, providing 30 lpm, and powered by eight 280 W CEL PV solar panels that are made in India.

Since the end of the monsoon season, the system has met and surpassed the village’s expectations. For the first time, families are receiving reliable fresh water directly to their homes, improving their quality of life and reducing the incidence of water borne disease.

Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Sudan

In 2015, Franklin Wells for the World completed five installations across Africa.

• Mabule, Botswana
• Sipepa School, Zimbabwe
• Matapula School, Zimbabwe
• Akuem Village, South Sudan
• Ha-Mashau, South Africa

The 2015 projects bring fresh water to more than 18,000 people at an average cost of $6.80 per person. The benefits of the new wells are even more apparent when you compare life before to life after. For example, the installation at the Abba Kingdom Centre church is in a relatively new village of 2,500 people in the Ha-Mashau area of South Africa. Before the Franklin Wells for the World installation, families—made up primarily of single-mother households——were forced to buy and carry water from surrounding villages. The physical and financial costs also meant that there was no water available for anything beyond the most basic human needs.

Since installation, the new solar-powered well and overhead 10,000 liter tank have fundamentally changed life in the village. Woman and children no longer have to buy and carry water, attendance is up at the school—and family gardens are already producing much needed vegetables.