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| Photo Courtesy of Robert Banks |
This summer has been a trying one for
much of West Africa. With rainfall well-below the seasonal average,
the rainy season failed to live up to its name, leaving the ground
parched and cracked, and ill-suited to nourish the young crops which
locals will need to sustain them through the coming year. To further
complicate matters, the lack of moisture, in conjunction with the
high seasonal winds that annually descend from the Sahara, have made
the air opaque with dust, covering the fledgling crops and blocking
out the sun.
At least one small portion of
sub-Saharan Africa has remained
largely unaffected by the drought. The Central River Region in the
Gambia (a narrow country wedged into the belly of Senegal on the West
African coast) has benefited from the efforts of the Minnesota based
non-profit, WAVE (West African Village & Environment Project.)
This organization was started by Matthew Selinske, a former Peace
Corps volunteer who continues to work there, with the help of his
parents, Guy and Mary. Because Matthew lives in the region and his
family members serve as executive board members for the non-profit,
there are no administrative fees, so all proceeds go directly to
helping the people of this beleaguered region.
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| Photo Courtesy of Robert Banks |
WAVE has undertaken several significant
projects since its founding in 2008. Its first major contribution to
the area was the construction of a new kitchen for the Sinchu Gundo
primary school, which allowed for safe and sanitary food preparation
and continued participation in the World Health Organization's food
program. Other initiatives include student tuition sponsorship and
community gardens, which have allayed the effects of the drought and
secured villagers' health during this arduous period. These
well-irrigated garden oasisses were made possible by WAVE's most
celebrated undertaking, the installation
of hand-pump wells in four local villages, which supply the
communities with safe drinking water and a source of hydration for
their crops. Thanks to generous donations by Rotary International,
The Steven Luethold Family Foundation, and private donors, WAVE has
so far allocated nearly 10,000
dollars to this project and plans on gradually increasing the number of wells
installed annually.
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| Photo Courtesy of Robert Banks |
Guy
and Mary Selinske, owners of American Glass & Mirror, have
rallied the support of family, friends, and local businesses and
organizations to bring attention and resources to this worthy cause.
Thanks to their hard work and the generosity of many others, the
people of the Central River Region will no longer be maligned by the
water-born illnesses common to much of West Africa, or the egregious
level of uncertainty that accompanies life in undeveloped nations.
If you would like to learn more about the work of WAVE, or care to
donate, please visit the website at: http://westafricawave.org/.
