Um Dasho Water Project is one of the most vital projects carried out by MDPD, immediately following the projects of the early recovery phase.
The village of Um Dasho is located east of Al-Malm, and it is one of its main sections. It is also at the center of the eastern villages of Al-Malam, Al-Kheir Ban, Al-Garadeed, Qalb, Um Ridim, Ela, Debbenga and Sham Al-Naseem.
For more than two centuries, these villages have experienced water shortages and their inhabitants continue to walk more than 20 miles every day to bring water from the village of Al-Malam. Attaining water has become a major daily task for all residents of these villages; women, men and children. As a result, many children fail to catch up in school because of their preoccupation with bringing water.
In April 2014, our partner Sadakat agreed to finance the Um Dasho Water Project. This contributed to the strengthening of MDPD’s projects at this important stage.
In April 2015, the well was completed and the water was tested. The installation of the tank and the solar power station were completed and started in early 2016. This flow of water restored life back to the residents and their livestock, and for the first time in the eastern villages of Al-Malam the sons and daughters could go to school and aspire to a better life. The long journeys to fetch water have stopped and the lives of people in the eastern villages of Al-Malam have changed. The Um Dasho Water Project now provides pure water to more than 20,000 people in addition to livestock.
Now, with generous funding from the King Abdullah Foundation for Humanitarian Action, MDPD is implementing the first phase of water projects in the four villages of Al-Malam: Al-Malam, Keila, Turbah and Um Dasho. The project includes 14 wells to provide drinking water, 10 wells to provide irrigation water for agriculture, in addition to harvesting the waters of valleys and small rivers through the implementation of a comprehensive project to harvest water and build reservoirs.