Clean Drinking Water for Rural Congolese Communities

Our team had the absolute pleasure of meeting with Woody Collins, President of Congo Helping Hands, this past week. Mr. Collins informed us about his organization, with a special emphasis on their newest endeavor, The Congo Water Project.

Outside of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, clean drinking water is scarce. Nearly three out of four rural Congolese households do not have access to safe clean drinking water. The Project seeks to remedy this crisis by not only initiating the drilling and providing rural communities with water wells, but also training local people how to properly work and maintain the wells.

What is exceedingly wonderful about this project is that Congo Helping Hands is not merely dropping of vast amounts of water that will run out, but rather investing in the Congolese people and teaching them how to provide clean water for themselves and their families.

In 2011, the Project is set to complete two or more wells to bring safe water to the rural poor in the Kanaga area (Kasai Occidental Province). The Project has been approved for a preliminary grant of $5,000. Additional grants and financial assistance is needed to drill more wells in 2011 and beyond.

Congo Helping Hands is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization created exclusively for charitable purposes to aid the health, education, agriculture and economic conditions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa. The purpose of the organization is to increase awareness of need, encourage participation, and to assist in the improvement of the quality of life for the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Congo Helping Hands is based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The organization is seeking project partners as donors, team members, or consultants. Parents of children from Congo may find helping this organization another way that they can stay connected to their child’s country of origin. Contact Woody Collins via email or by phone (317) 698-7643.

We found Woody, his organization, and their projects to be extraordinary and thought many of you would also be interested in this noble cause. Thank you to Woody and Congo Helping Hands for all you are doing for the Congolese people!