Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) enables village development in Mali through well-digging projects that improve quality of life, reduce disease, and overcome barriers to the Gospel. This unique program serves as a highly effective platform for evangelism and church planting while addressing the desperate need for clean drinking water.
THE NEED
Located in the geographical center of Africa, Mali is among the 10 poorest countries in the world, with 64 percent of its 13.5 million people living in abject poverty. Muslims make up the majority of the population, with less than two percent of Malians professing Christianity.
Devastating droughts, occasional Niger River flooding, deforestation, soil erosion and inadequate supplies of potable water are common realities in this harsh desert land. Social issues, such as pesticides leaking into wells and contaminating water supplies, receive little attention. Residents living near contaminated wells continue to use them despite the risks.
Health consequences—The scarcity and poor quality of drinking water are significant causes of death and disease in Mali. The prevalence of cholera, a water-related disease, is one of the most obvious health consequences of Mali’s water problem. There has been a resurgence of cholera in Mali, especially during the hot season (April to June).
Onchocerciasis, or river blindness, is another prevalent water-related health problem. It affects all river basins in the country, a total of 350,000 square kilometers, placing nearly five million people at risk. Onchocerciasis is the leading cause of blindness in Mali.
Diarrhea, an illness linked to poor hygiene, including poor water quality, presents another serious public health problem. It is especially prevalent among children under the age of five and is considered the second cause of death among children. Diarrhea accounts for 24 to 30 percent of all visits to public health centers.
Economic consequences—Like all agricultural societies, Mali is especially dependent upon water. Economic conditions can vary from season to season based on the amount of rainfall. Moreover, since Mali’s electricity is mostly of hydraulic origin, industrial production is dependent on water supply. Recent problems with electrical supply threaten serious repercussions for industrial production.
THE SOLUTION
In 1989, MAF launched its first well-digging project in Mali. Hand-dug by national MAF staff, the project provides opportunities to share the Gospel. In its first 10 years, the well-digging project resulted in more than 20 new churches.
Digging water wells by hand opens opportunities to share the Gospel with grateful villagers. When MAF national staff enter new villages to dig a well, the Jesus film is also presented, bringing “living water” along with fresh, safe drinking water. In one village alone, the well project resulted in more than 92 new believers who now attend a church initiated and built by these villagers.
To date, MAF has constructed dozens of wells that continue to provide clean, safe
drinking water for thousands of people. Approximately 50 feet deep, all wells are dug in villages with very limited access to clean water. As a result of evangelism efforts made by the well-digging team, more than 50 people make declarations of faith in Jesus Christ each year.
A village well means that ...
- Families can eat more than one meal a day. In some villages women are too busy collecting water all day to have time to prepare food until late in the evening.
- Children attend school because they are not needed to help collect water all day.
- Mud-brick houses can be built instead of those made of straw which do not protect from inclement weather and leave families vulnerable to house fires.
- Lives are saved from disabling and life-shortening diseases such as bilharzia, amoebic dysentery, cholera, diarrhea, and leprosy, which are prevalent in villages where people have insufficient water to maintain proper hygiene.
- Families can keep livestock. Animals bring much more financial security and provide vital manure to fertilize poor soils. As a result, subsistence gardens are easier to grow and maintain.
- Women are not worn out by age 30, suffering from joint disorders as a result of carrying heavy water pots. They have time for more useful activities, resulting in an improved quality of life.
- Most importantly, lives are transformed for eternity by the Word of God and the powerful witness of Malian Christians.
IMPACT 2007 HIGHLIGHTS
In the past 12 months, the MAF program in Mali ...
- Completed four village wells.
- Conducted feasibility assessments and received many invitations from village chiefs to dig wells in their villages next year.
- Conducted evangelism activities that led to 162 new converts.
- Coordinated discipleship of new believers by local pastors.
- Upgraded equipment used to present the Jesus film, including the sound system, projector, DVD player, and protective cases.
- Completed needed repairs to the Toyota Land Cruiser used in well-digging projects.
- Established a national organization—Mali Well Project—to allow this unique
ministry to legally operate in Mali.
KEY GOALS 2008
- Complete four wells in assessed villages.
- Establish a national advisory committee, composed of Malian pastors, to serve as the governing body of the Mali Well Project organization.
MAF STAFF SERVING IN MALI
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