Innovative water system improves Kofèba lives

Kofèba, a village in Mali receives very poor rainfall – only 11% of residents can obtain drinking water. And in Kofèba, water from traditional wells contaminated with salt has caused great suffering among the population. 

High infant and child mortality rates (estimated at 196/1000 in 2007) are mainly due to water-borne diseases such as dysentery and diarrhea.

Lack of safe drinking water

Children in Kofèba have to fetch water for their families on a daily basis, carrying heavy containers on their heads over long distances. This disrupts children’s education, giving rise to high repetition and dropout rates.

Plan Mali asked groups of children in the village for input on a development plan for their community. All groups insisted something be done about the lack of a safe drinking water supply.

So Plan helped Kofèba’s development committee install an innovative water supply system which is environmentally friendly: ‘Pedalflo’ provides drinking water continuously to the entire population using solar energy or pedal power.

Enough time to play

With the help of Plan, the children decided on where to site Pedalflo, and supervised the whole operation. Each day they report to the development committee on the current situation.

Brehima, President of the children’s government, said: “We were all tired by the endless water chores, especially the girls. Now our mothers can easily get safe drinking water, and we children no longer suffer. Even my friends, who didn’t have time before, now come and play football with us after evening classes.”

Many women explained how they and their children were in better health thanks to having safe drinking water, and being able to rest during the day.

Better health, better education

M’Bamakan, a 27 year-old housewife, said: “This water source has given a new life to people in Kofèba. It’s very advantageous to have safe drinking water now because many women in the village have experienced miscarriages in the past due to the bad quality of water. I think that with such a structure, water diseases will disappear.”

Today, water-borne diseases have been reduced by about 95%. For the school’s headmaster, there is no doubt that the safe drinking water from Pedalflo has contributed to students’ improved attendance, concentration and achievement. Village leaders have also organized a water subscription to help pay for repairs if they are ever needed.

Learn more about Plan's water and sanitation programs, and Plan's work in Mali.