The Hive Community are all going to heaven. We are building boreholes in Africa. The Community Wells team will have built 21 of them by this summer all at the cost to the Hive Community. We can put this cost at the back of our minds because it is for Charity so unlike different DHF projects such as the rally car and the GYM Street Workout , we don't really look into the boreholes in much detail as it is for a good cause so we can't really moan about giving water to the poor people in Africa.
The first borehole cost 3639.50 HBD to complete back in 1972. Only joking! It was 2022 little over 3 years ago. Fast forward to the future where inflation is rife and we are wheelbarrowing pound 10 pound notes down to the bakery just to buy a loaf of bread due to hyperinflation. The last well cost 9,181.00 HBD as per wallet Valueplan funding. Just the 396% increase. Nothing to see here. Drop in the ocean. Anyway the below are the well project payments over the last few years.
| Number | Date | Location | Total HBD Cost | Comment In Valueplan Wallet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17th April 2022 | Fawoade, Ghana | 3425.5+214 = 3639.50 | Well drilling and installation Hive local community empowerment and promotion project Included: drilling, structure and plumbing, tank. Contingency fund not included at this time.214 HBD for Well structure and signage installation part 2 of Hive local community empowerment and promotion project. Contingency fund not included at this time. |
| 2 | 12th June 2022 | Agona Bedomase, Ghana | 4325+200 = 4525.00 | Well 2 Well drilling and installation full project minus incidentals minor proposal replacement contingency fund not included at this time and will be addressed as incidentals if required. 200HBD Additional funds due to rising prices of supply chain Well 2. Well drilling and installation |
| 3 | 15th July 2022 | Anwomaso, Ghana | 4924+500= 5424.00 | Well project #3 Ghana promotional Hive sponsored borehole and related expenditures. +500 hbd Laptop for well opening day and Hive presentation capability Hive promotional Ghana well project. |
| 4 | 3rd September 2022 | Pentecost sch Bremang, Ghana | 4924.00 | Ghana well project borehole #4 books for distribution to kids Hive promotional project Borehole complete $4524 Books $400 Further costs possible but not expected at this time. |
| 5 | 19th October 2022 | Jamasi Dawu | 4,524.00+500 =5024.00 | Ghana borehole project costs of next borehole additional costs possible due to inflation Hive promotional activity. +500 HBD Books for school children part of well project 1000 books Hive promotional activity |
| 2022 | Total Cost | 23,536.50 | 5 Wells | |
| 2023 | ||||
| 6 | 22th March 2023 | Asamang | 8,780.00 | Community Well Project 1st Borehole Feb-March construction of the well materials and labor minor incidentals |
| 7 | 31st March 2023 | Asamang (2nd well Repair & Renovation) | 3,000.00 | Community Well Project 1st Borehole repair and renovation of 2nd well in town (still part of same project) materials and required logistics |
| 8 | 15th May 2023 | Chichibon | 8,550.00 | Community Well Project Tamale entire construction of the borehole installation costs and logistics |
| 9 | 3rd July 2023 | Chanshegu | 8,550.00 | Community Well Project Ashanti well 3rd borehole drilling, tower with structure, plumbing, finishing and sign books are part of previous transfer aimed for Tekna |
| 10 | 18th July 2023 | Gbamyamli | 9,110.00 | Community Well Project all three stages of borehole drilling and installation including all materials costs of printing 800 books for local children included books may be used across multiple projects. |
| 11 | 24th Sept 2023 | Kanvili-kukuo | 8,550.00 | Community Well Project borehole drilling, installation, tiling and all related logistical project costs |
| 12 | 1st November 2023 | Asamankama A | 8,550.00 | Community Well Project borehole drilling, tank purchase and installation, plumbing, cement work and all other labor and materials that go into a completed well logistics included. |
| 13 | 1st November 2023 | 2nd Well Reconstruction Asamankama B | 3,800.00 | Community Well Project reconstruction of old well and installation of all components drilling omitted due to existence of old borehole |
| 14 | 11th December 2023 | Wadie Adwumakase | 8,550.00 | Community Well Project final borehole drilling, purchase of materials, installation and all related costs associated with erecting the well and its infrastructure |
| Total | 2023 | Cost Excludes 2800HBD on 4000 workbooks | 67,440 HBD | 7 wells and 2 renovations/ repairs |
| 2024 | ||||
| 15 | May 2024 | Nantong Kpawumo | 5,000.00 | materials for remaining 2 x wells in the northern region double-installation is to save on costs deposit costs for materials |
| 16 | 08th June 2024 | Dingoni | 12,940.00 | Community Well Project 2 x boreholes remaining outstanding costs for materials, labor drilling and installing, and related expenses both units are being installed in different villages at the same time to save on costs |
| 17 | 20th August 2024 | Nsuta Kwagyei | 8,320.00 | CWP Ghana one well materials and labor costs for one installation of a well including drilling, pump, tanks, concrete, plumbing and finishing promotional project |
| 18 | 27th November 2024 | Asenua Ghana | 8,500.00 | CWP Ghana one well materials and labor costs for one installation of a well including drilling, pump, tanks, concrete, plumbing and finishing promotional project |
| Total | 2024 | Cost Excludes 2800HBD on 4000 workbooks | 34,760 HBD | 4 wells |
| 2025 | ||||
| 19 | 7th January 2025 | Agric Tamale | 8,961.00 | CWP Ghana Gumani, Tamale materials, supplies, labor, vendor costs for installation of a borehole/well no contingency included |
| 20 | 20th March 2025 | Bampenase | 8.961.00 | CWP Ghana Bampenase materials, supplies, labor, vendor costs for installation of a borehole/well no contingency included |
| 21 | 26st March 2025 | Asomanya | 9,181.00 | CWP Ghana installation of final 20th well materials, labor, drilling, equipment and everything that goes into the creation of the well no other expenses included |
Figures only include only borehole drilling and do not include expenses or any conferences "special promotions" attended during this period
Now this post is not looking into our borehole drilling. The figures speak for themselves. This is about research concluding that they are a major waste of resources for NGO's. So at the moment it looks like we are rocking up to a village like superheros. Building a borehole. Getting the rock star treatment and moving onto the next village for another 9k payday. I won't even get into whether there are any government grants or substities that would refund a % of the borehole drilling. I very much doubt there is NOT some kind of government grant for building a borehole for a rural community. Grants from GSGDA (Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda II) or WSSDP(Water Sector Strategic Development Plan)for example to name just 2.
This is coming away from the point. Research suggests that many boreholes fail 2-3 years after they are created for a number of different reasons.
1. Locals do not own the borehole so nobody knows who pays for any repairs or maintenance.
Drilling a borehole in a rural community was akin to asking people to run a cooperative private water supply."There is no point an external agency coming in, putting in a drill-hole and then passing it over to the local community if they can't afford to maintain it over the next 10 or 20 years," he says. "There needs to be a proper assessment of just how much local people are able to finance these water points. It's not enough to just drill and walk away."
-2.Asset Stripping is common in borehole projects.
A number of boreholes are stripped of their metals and sold on once the borehole contractors leave a site. There was one incident in Kenya where the toxic PCB-laden oil was stolen from a boreholes electrical plant for cooking purposes. T
-3. Cheap plastic pipes to cut the cost of construction lead to contamination and undrinkable water.
I'm sure we are OK on this side but we get so caught up in the heavenly praise that I am not sure
Down the line the plastics disintegrate and could cause waste or foul getting into the supply.
-4. Inadequate tools and O&M facilities in the villages. No repair man basically.
"The government agencies and internationally funded NGOs that drill the boreholes sometimes spend a fortune on wells that soon break or fall into disuse because locals feel no ownership over the wells and do not possess the tools to maintain them."
"The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) says up to US$360m has been spent on building boreholes and wells that then become useless because they are not maintained or fixed when they break down. As a result, 50,000 water supply points are not functioning across rural Africa."
"The most well-built and highest-quality wells will fail if routine maintenance isn’t done or if parts aren’t regularly replaced."It’s up to the communities to locate a trained mechanic, spare parts, and have the money to pay for the service. Most communities don’t have the financial means for spare parts, much less to hire a professional hundreds of miles from the well site."
There are many examples of the above which is causing NGO's to think twice about building boreholes.
Now I don't know the two lads doing our boreholes. They seem to be top blokes I do not see any aftercare or revisiting of the boreholes.
Could anybody tell me if the 2022 boreholes are still going well(no pun intended)
Do any of our team revisit these wells?
Aftercare may be a massive drain on Hive in the future. You better fix the well you built will be the demand and Hive will have to foot the cost.
The photo op is all well and good but who manages the borehole after the Hive party leaves?
Other useful links
Africa's water crisis: a quarter of a billion dollars down the drain
Reasons Why Water Wells Fail for Developing Countries
Expanding to Where Else? Begins with V.....
I am seeing that a few more Hive users are after successfully applying to build wells in Latin America and you can see the likes of @qmwallet getting funding to build wells in rain drenched Venezuela which does look like a scam or jumping on the bandwagon when they see 9,000 HBD leaving a wallet for borehole building. Why don't we build that!?! Boreholes are all well and good in Africa but inexpensive and low maintenance rain water harvesting is a better way to go in the likes of Venezuela.
But no, the Hive Community are just a plain stupid and we don't ask enough question. A few grand is not going to hurt anyone. It's for charity.
The Latin America branch is run by a dude called crazy.men who posted recently about his well here. It took some time to track this guy down as there was no description to the famous wallet @qmwallet who was receiving vast sums from Valueplan. Again the question is why are we funding well projects in a country that is not lacking water? His project was delayed because of rain would you believe. 🤣. Should I ask for funding for a well out my back garden in Ireland for example??
I looked through his wallet before Christmas just for curiousity and noted the first ever entry. I immediately powered down my 7k Hive stake after I saw this. It was charity alright but a different kind.