Mali: To supply more than 12,000 rural people with drinking water in the centre of armed conflicts

20 schools from the Region of Gao to be equipped

Picture caption: Pupils drawing water from a HYDRO INDIA 60 manual pump in the ALZANABANDIA ZABA school in Gao (photo credit: UNICEF MALI/2019/DIARRA).

The United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF announced that it has awarded a supply and installation contract to the joint-venture composed of the companies VERGNET HYDRO and SEEBA (Bamako, Mali) for the construction of drinking water supply systems for more than 12,000 rural people in the Region of Gao in Mali. “We are proud to provide these people in the centre of armed conflicts, including pupils from 20 schools, with safe water”, confides Thierry BARBOTTE, Managing Director for VERGNET HYDRO. All infrastructure will be installed and fully operational by June 2019.

With a budget of 385 million CFA francs (580,000 euros), the project comprises the drilling of 22 boreholes, the rehabilitation of 5 boreholes, the setup of 3 solar-powered piped water supply systems, the construction of 17 standpipes and the installation of 24 manual pumps (HYDRO INDIA 60 and HPV100). “The company SEEBA is in charge of the civil engineering and VERGNET HYDRO provides all equipment”, specifies Najib BENAZOUZ, Area Sales Manager for VERGNET HYDRO.

A contribution to the local economy

“Of course, managing this kind of operations in these areas requires local staff. This contribution to the local economy is a major dimension of this project”, concludes Modibo TAMBOURA, Managing Director for SEEBA.