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Asante
Mage


Registered: 02/06/02
Posts: 86,957
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I've donated a Water Well to an African village today. *UPDATE: The Well is Well, pics & vid included!* 7
#26998478 - 10/22/20 06:36 PM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Theres a great problem with accessibility of good drinking water in the world, a whopping 11% of humanity has no access to good drinking water.
In developing nations that means typically that people have to make five trips of several miles on foot to fill an 8 gallon pail on contaminated water, carry it on their heads home to their animals, veggie garden and family, who often get waterborne diseases from it like typhoid, cholera and the like.
Adults cannot hold a job and kids cannot go to school because they are tasked with fetching water, five times a day, barefoot, under the relentless tropical sun.
Here's two scenic videos because vids speak louder than words
Today's the day: digging a village well:
A village well, still pumpin' it 16 years later:
The registered and 100% volunteer operated charity I commissioned a well with can build a well for under $600, which includes repair cost for other wells, training of a group of villagers to maintain and repair the well with local parts. They inform me that on average a village of 1300 people gets safe water this way, that a water well for many opens agricultural possibilities, on average 106 people can get jobs and 16 kids can go to school because of decreased water burden, and waterborne illness will just about become a thing of the past. In addition to that villagers have volunteered and been trained on building a well, so they may put that expertise to use for other villagers. Its not rocket science.
All good things, right?
I had a few hundred bucks extra, saved from my covid lockdown, I thought, fuck it, if I get COVID and die, at least I leave behind a village pump that can keep serving like 1000 people for decades.
Every day primarily women and children are gonna gather around to fill their containers and socialize, right by their home, its gonna be good water, and all because I could be arsed to literally fork over $600, because a portion of my expenses saved were saved eating prep food instead of regular food. A portion also was from admin duties, so in a way the Shroomery and its sponsors and benefactors helped to make it possible too.
This is the Internet, the place of "pics or it didn't happen". Patience, friends. Today is day 1, where I made the payment - tomorrow I get contacted about well designs etc, then it depends on where they are working (they are very efficient and strategic, not just to save cost but also with distribution of the wells), then it has to be actually built and voila, there will be pics.
Charities ask a very wide range of sums for making a well, to the anger of many in the know often asking 5-15x the actual cost of making it. I have little means and want to sponsor the cheapest, most efficient grassroots charity.
600 bucks. A laptop or a washing machine, but it means the world to many for years to come.
I'll keep you guys posted.
While you guys are too delicate to crush a moth or too decadent to pick up a dirty $100 bill, I've been doing thangs.
Can it be more feelgood?
Here's a 14yo American teen who by that age raised enough $$ to actually have 200 wells drilled all over Africa, and now goes to visit some of them:
tl;dr - Take me to the Update with the Vids and Pics of the Well!
tl;dr - Water Well #2, Merry Christmas Edition!
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Edited by Asante (12/24/20 06:47 AM)
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mycosis


Registered: 08/20/07
Posts: 19,751
Loc: USSA
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Re: I've donated a Water Well to an African village today. [Re: Asante] 1
#26998498 - 10/22/20 06:50 PM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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My brother's ex-girlfriend was in the Peace Corps in Benin for several years and I think one of their main goals was digging good wells.
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Asante
Mage


Registered: 02/06/02
Posts: 86,957
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Re: I've donated a Water Well to an African village today. [Re: mycosis]
#26998500 - 10/22/20 06:51 PM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Water is so important. Imagine having to walk miles for stagnant pools that animals die in.
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qman
Stranger

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Re: I've donated a Water Well to an African village today. [Re: Asante] 6
#26998543 - 10/22/20 07:20 PM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Couldn't Jeff Bezos solve this problem with little affect to his wealth?
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tyrannicalrex
Strange R



Registered: 04/24/03
Posts: 38,331
Loc: subtropics
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Re: I've donated a Water Well to an African village today. [Re: qman] 2
#26998630 - 10/22/20 08:25 PM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
qman said: Couldn't Jeff Bezos solve this problem with little affect to his wealth?
I say this all the time in regards to the people who can help the most! Good one Asante!
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nooneman


Registered: 04/24/09
Posts: 14,593
Loc: Utah
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Re: I've donated a Water Well to an African village today. [Re: Asante] 1
#26999077 - 10/23/20 04:01 AM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
Asante said: While you guys are too delicate to crush a moth or too decadent to pick up a dirty $100 bill, I've been doing thangs.
Just because I wouldn't pick up a $100 bill doesn't mean I'm decadent or delicate 
It has nothing to do with it being dirty. I think money is often evil and I don't place any value on it. The pursuit of money and the value we place on it is deeply misguided. You know what has real value? Digging a well, not money. A father cooking a meal for his children, that has value. Teaching a child how to read, or taking care of a dying parent, or comforting a grieving family member, that has value.
Physical possessions are worthless and material attachment is misguided and pointless, that's all. The pursuit of money and physical possessions leads to many problems in the world, and in addition I think that material possessions and attachment to them leads away from intellectual and moral enlightenment. You already know how worthless money is, that's why you would give up your money to dig a well, because you understand that money has no value compared to a well that has a lot of value.
And anyway, why should a well cost anything? If we were a truly great species, we should do things because they needed to be done and because people need help, not because of money. The fact that we value these stupid pieces of paper, often times more than human life, shows how evil and worthless money can be. Which is not to say that we'd be any different without it, but valuing pieces of paper is misguided: we are deceived by money into not valuing things that have real value (like wells or feeding the hungry) and instead we become obsessed with accumulating worthless non-living pieces of paper. If we could see how worthless money was and how valuable wells were, then we'd easily dig as many as we need.
Delicacy has nothing to do with it either. Why crush a moth for $100 when I could easily work for that money instead? Is my own laziness really so important? Am I so selfish and lazy that I would rather inflict suffering, pain and death on another living creature instead of doing a small amount of work?
[/rant]
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Asante
Mage


Registered: 02/06/02
Posts: 86,957
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Re: I've donated a Water Well to an African village today. [Re: tyrannicalrex] 2
#26999119 - 10/23/20 05:24 AM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
You know what has real value? Digging a well, not money.
Digging a well costs money
Quote:
And anyway, why should a well cost anything?
the well will have to be dug, bricked, cemented, a pipe and pump have to be purchased, with intensive use there are going to be mechanical failures every so many years that need parts replacement...
Money is a token for human labor with which we can exchange the fruits of our labor with that of others.
Its a necessary evil.
Quote:
qman said: Couldn't Jeff Bezos solve this problem with little affect to his wealth?
Yes, but I'm not Jeff Bezos, and he's not doing it, so I am.
For a billion dollars you can make contracts to strike 3 million wells. That's more than is needed because they could give 4 billion people well access, over 50%, and the group in dire need is 11% of humanity. Somebody has to do something, no?
Quote:
tyrannicalrex said: Good one Asante!
thank you
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Crazy_Horse
I’m Rick James, bitch!


Registered: 08/15/16
Posts: 13,350
Loc: Hampsterdam
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Re: I've donated a Water Well to an African village today. [Re: Asante] 2
#26999165 - 10/23/20 06:17 AM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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I bet shipping charges on a well are outrageous.
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Gypsy Boy
Redeemer



Registered: 03/17/17
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Re: I've donated a Water Well to an African village today. [Re: Crazy_Horse] 2
#26999201 - 10/23/20 06:57 AM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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I donate 2 quid to water aid every month
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Crazy_Horse
I’m Rick James, bitch!


Registered: 08/15/16
Posts: 13,350
Loc: Hampsterdam
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Re: I've donated a Water Well to an African village today. [Re: Gypsy Boy]
#26999212 - 10/23/20 07:06 AM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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what's a quid?
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Gypsy Boy
Redeemer



Registered: 03/17/17
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Re: I've donated a Water Well to an African village today. [Re: Crazy_Horse] 5
#26999217 - 10/23/20 07:10 AM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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spirit_shadow
Feature not a bug



Registered: 08/15/11
Posts: 25,987
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Re: I've donated a Water Well to an African village today. [Re: Gypsy Boy] 2
#26999283 - 10/23/20 08:16 AM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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That's awesome asante! Hella shroomy 
As for them getting sick from the water can't they just boil the water before use?
-------------------- Those content with the least have the most.....(this account is automated, all posts related to illegal activities or advice thereof are strictly from numerous online sites and are for informational purposes only)- Circa 2011 Ban lotto
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SonicTitan


Registered: 05/17/16
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Re: I've donated a Water Well to an African village today. [Re: spirit_shadow] 1
#26999313 - 10/23/20 08:48 AM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Firewood in most places like that is very scarce.
-------------------- "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."
 
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Asante
Mage


Registered: 02/06/02
Posts: 86,957
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Re: I've donated a Water Well to an African village today. [Re: Crazy_Horse]
#26999414 - 10/23/20 10:06 AM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
Crazy_Horse said: I bet shipping charges on a well are outrageous.
This is why they use local volunteers and local cnstruction materials, not just to cheapen the build but also so the villagers can see how it is done and perhaps use that skill elsewhere to create more wells.
Because all materials and parts are local, the money spent also stimulates local businesses.
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Asante
Mage


Registered: 02/06/02
Posts: 86,957
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Re: I've donated a Water Well to an African village today. [Re: spirit_shadow] 2
#26999418 - 10/23/20 10:09 AM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
spirit_shadow said: That's awesome asante! Hella shroomy 
Hella Shroomy would be if the Shroomerites would gather <$600 or a multiple of that and realize a Shroomery Water Well with one of the spiffy new Shroomery logos on the sign of who built it 
I'm going to use my sign space not to laud myself but instead endow it with a monochrome Ubunto logo:

and three short slogans in either English or the locfal language which encourage village unity and coming together to help one another.
Ubuntu isnt just an operating system but a southern African philosophy that boils down to:
I am because We are
Which will be the first slogan.
I'm going to let the well be green to subconsciously highlight that the water can also be used to grow a little crop.
The ring of three people holding hands symbol will also ring the base of the pump.
People get the message of that, even if they can't read.
-------------------- Omnicyclion.org higher knowledge starts here
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Crazy_Horse
I’m Rick James, bitch!


Registered: 08/15/16
Posts: 13,350
Loc: Hampsterdam
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Re: I've donated a Water Well to an African village today. [Re: Asante] 1
#26999444 - 10/23/20 10:32 AM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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My aunt and uncle are mercenaries. They go to Africa and build churches, wells and stuff. They taught some village to make bread and ovens.
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Baby_Hitler
Errorist




Registered: 03/06/02
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Re: I've donated a Water Well to an African village today. [Re: Crazy_Horse] 3
#26999470 - 10/23/20 10:48 AM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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*missionaries
-------------------- Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ (•_•) <) )~ ANTIFA / \ \(•_•) ( (> SUPER / \ (•_•) <) )> SOLDIERS / \
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spirit_shadow
Feature not a bug



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Re: I've donated a Water Well to an African village today. [Re: Asante] 1
#26999525 - 10/23/20 11:10 AM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
Asante said:
Quote:
spirit_shadow said: That's awesome asante! Hella shroomy 
Hella Shroomy would be if the Shroomerites would gather <$600 or a multiple of that and realize a Shroomery Water Well with one of the spiffy new Shroomery logos on the sign of who built it 
I'm going to use my sign space not to laud myself but instead endow it with a monochrome Ubunto logo:

and three short slogans in either English or the locfal language which encourage village unity and coming together to help one another.
Ubuntu isnt just an operating system but a southern African philosophy that boils down to:
I am because We are
Which will be the first slogan.
I'm going to let the well be green to subconsciously highlight that the water can also be used to grow a little crop.
The ring of three people holding hands symbol will also ring the base of the pump.
People get the message of that, even if they can't read.
Going with ubuntu...that's PERFECT
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Brian Jones
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Re: I've donated a Water Well to an African village today. [Re: Baby_Hitler] 4
#26999753 - 10/23/20 01:37 PM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
Crazy_Horse said: My aunt and uncle are mercenaries. They go to Africa and build churches, wells and stuff. They taught some village to make bread and ovens.
Quote:
Baby_Hitler said: *missionaries
No. After they build the churches and wells and ovens and bake the bread, they kill everyone. And they do it for money. Then they can build more wells.
-------------------- "The Rolling Stones will break up over Brian Jones' dead body" John Lennon I don't want no commies in my car. No Christians either. The worst thing about corruption is that it works so well,
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spirit_shadow
Feature not a bug



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Re: I've donated a Water Well to an African village today. [Re: Brian Jones] 2
#26999763 - 10/23/20 01:42 PM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
Brian Jones said:
Quote:
Crazy_Horse said: My aunt and uncle are mercenaries. They go to Africa and build churches, wells and stuff. They taught some village to make bread and ovens.
Quote:
Baby_Hitler said: *missionaries
No. After they build the churches and wells and ovens and bake the bread, they kill everyone. And they do it for money. Then they can build more wells.
Omg I didnt catch that hahaha
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