This is already the third water project that “Well4Africa” has implemented in collaboration with the Franciscan Capuchin Friars Mission in Ghana.
Wiini village is located in the Nkwanta North District, Oti Region, Ghana. It is 8 kilometres from the district capital, Kpassa, and approximately 400 kilometres from the capital city, Accra.
The Franciscan Capuchin Friars provide pastoral care for St. Michael’s parish in Kpassa and its 20 outstation churches. Since Wiini is a farming community without a school, children are often required to work on farms and fetch water from the river, which negatively affects their education. To address this need, the Capuchins established an evening school called La Sapienza, where children receive basic literacy and numeracy education during evening hours. After two years of training, the children are helped to enrol in schools in Kpassa. The new water project was therefore essential for the health and well-being of both the community and the students.
The Wiini water project involved several stages. First, experts identified a suitable drilling site through geophysical surveys. A borehole was then drilled to a depth of 98 metres and fitted with protective casing pipes to prevent contamination. After testing the water quality and pressure to ensure it met potable standards, a 1.5 HP submersible solar pump was installed at a depth of 93 metres. Since hand pumps often require frequent repairs, a more sustainable and efficient solar pump system was chosen. A tower structure was built to hold a poly tank, allowing gravity-fed water distribution. Pipes and taps were installed to provide convenient access to clean water through multiple distribution points. The project was successfully completed and officially inaugurated on 23 March 2025.
The beneficiaries of this water project include the entire community of Wiini, consisting of 120 families, as well as residents of the neighbouring villages of Bitaba and Nlakaba. In total, approximately 175 households are expected to benefit. In rural villages of Ghana, a household typically consists of five to eight members.
Before this project, the people of Wiini relied solely on the Kpassa river, located 2 kilometres away, which was unsafe for drinking and domestic use. The water was muddy and polluted with plastic waste. During the rainy season, people also collected rainwater, but there remained a great need for a safe and sustainable water source.
This water project has significantly transformed the lives of the people of Wiini and the surrounding villages. By providing access to safe drinking water, it has greatly benefited the community and reduced the need for children to fetch unsafe water. This has improved the health and well-being of children and pregnant women by reducing the risk of waterborne diseases. The borehole has had a major impact on the quality of life of the villagers, who now have access to clean drinking water. “Access to clean water is no longer a daily struggle. We thank Well4Africa for your commitment to human dignity and health, and we look forward to future collaborations in service of those most in need,” says fr. Robinson Melkis OFM Cap, Mission Delegate of the Franciscan Capuchin Friars Mission in Ghana.
The works were carried out by “Global Tech Boreholes Ltd” from December 2024 to March 2025. The company provided a one-year warranty for the borehole and solar pump system and agreed to provide service support. Bernice Nignalijal, a local primary school teacher, was trained and assigned to manage the pumping of water into the poly tank and to ensure that the system functions properly.
The amount donated to the project was EUR 6,467.
The aim of “Well4Africa” social initiative is to ensure human right to water and to drill boreholes in poor African areas where the Franciscan Family is present. For possible ways of donation, please refer to https://well4africa.eu/index.php/donate
