Mayor of Zabre region thanks Rotary for help; other projects may be on the horizon

Before February of this year, the women of the Zabre region of Burkina Faso had to walk more than a mile every day for water. They returned home carrying as much as five and a half gallons balanced on their heads.

But now, because of wells built by the Sedro-Woolley and Denver, Colo., Rotary clubs, water is more readily available.

“While they are getting water something can happen to their babies,” said Desire Zagre, the region’s mayor, as he addressed the Sedro-Woolley Rotary Club on Thursday.  “Now, because of the wells, they won’t walk a long time and can help keep their families safe.”

Zagre traveled from Burkina Faso, a small West African republic, to thank the Rotarians for making the new wells possible. He also received the key to the city from Sedro-Woolley Mayor Mike Anderson.

The Zabre region includes 45 villages that benefited from the five hand-pumped deep wells that were built by Sedro-Woolley and Denver Rotary clubs in February.

“I am proud that the Sedro-Woolley Rotary stepped up to the plate,” Anderson said. “And the wells we helped provide is just a little gesture our city could do to help.”

Mayor Zagre’s presentation touched on life in Zabre and the challenges his region deals with on a daily basis, the biggest problems being malnutrition, contaminated water, lack of health care and illiteracy.

He said Burkina Faso is the second poorest country in the world, but with the help the Rotary club has provided, Zagre said 150-200 lives per year will be saved.

The success of the Rotary’s February trip was so great that Carl Garrison, a participating Rotary member, is looking at other ways to help this community. Simple projects, such as putting up barbed-wire fences around gardens to keep livestock out, would help feed more families.

“All it would take would be 100 square meters of fence around a garden,” Garrison said. “Which would end up feeding 20 families.”

With projects like this, Garrison said it would alleviate the everyday problems associated with disease and death, and let the village focus on being able to live happier lives.

“Just over 20 percent of children die by age five,” Garrison said.

“And it is because of malnutrition or contaminated water.”