Lagos State, Nigeria · since 2021

Clean water, rising.

We build boreholes and fetching points with rural communities in Lagos State, so families no longer depend on distant, unsafe streams. More than 5,000 people now have safe water close to home.

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5,000+

people with safe water close to home

community boreholes built and working

3,000+

people served by our solar-powered borehole at Owu-Ikosi

more communities in our next project

Fundraising now

Next: water for four more communities

Our next project brings a borehole, treatment, solar power and six fetching points to each of four communities with long-running water scarcity.

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Stage 3 of 8 2 of 8 stages done

Listen : done
Survey and plan : done
Fund : in progress
Permits : still to come
Drill and build : still to come
Power with the sun : still to come
Water flowing : still to come
Hand over and look after it : still to come

How a water point is made

From first conversation to water flowing

Every Merry-Gold water point follows the same eight stages. Each project page shows which stage it has reached.

Stage 1 of 8

Listen

It starts with the community. Local leaders and residents tell us where water is scarce and unsafe, and how far people walk to find it.

See where each project is up to

Stage 2 of 8

Survey and plan

We survey the site and plan the borehole, treatment, storage, power and fetching points, keeping costs low by working with local partners.

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Stage 3 of 8

Fund

We cost every part and raise the money through donations, grants, sponsorship and gifts in kind. Supporters can fund a single tap or a whole water point.

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Stage 4 of 8

Permits

We obtain the government and local authority permits each water point needs before any work begins.

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Stage 5 of 8

Drill and build

The borehole is drilled, then the tank stand, treatment plant, aeration tank, fencing and security house are built.

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Stage 6 of 8

Power with the sun

Solar panels power the pump so water keeps flowing when the grid fails, with a backup generator for when it's needed.

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Stage 7 of 8

Water flowing

The fetching points open and families collect safe water close to home.

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Stage 8 of 8

Hand over and look after it

Local leaders oversee the water point day to day, and we monitor, maintain and evaluate it so it keeps working for years.

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Fund a water point