In the Eritrean refugee camps in the east of Sudan, access to clean water is almost non-existent leading to death and disease. It is one of the greatest contributing factors to child mortality in the area. The refugees, already living in fear and insecurity having fled their homes, now struggle to survive without the basic necessities for life. Women and children walk and queue for hours and sometimes days just to collect clean water, thereby depriving them of any prospect of an education of a meaningful life. 

Ethar Relief is seeking to construct a deep water well to cater for over 15,000 refugees in Om Sagata.  Due to the scarcity of water, drilling needs to be done 400 feet below the surface of the earth (typically wells require drilling to only 60 feet). This combined with the fact that the refugee camp is located in a particularly inaccessible location means the cost of the well is extremely high - £43,000. The cost is higher than in most parts of the world but that does not mean the people in the area should be abandoned and left to die. InshaAllah the reward is commensurate to the difficulty. 

£13,000 has already been raised and together with 29 others, I hope to be able to raise £1000 by 17 July 2015, thereby ensuring that construction can begin on the well immediately. 

The well is named after the great companion of the Prophet Muhammed (saws), Uthman ibn Affan (ra) who famously purchased the only sweet water well in Madinah from an unscrupulous businessman who had capitalised on a drought that had hit the city. Although the well was worth approximately 5000-6000 Dirhams, he sold the well for a total of 43,000 Dirhams. Uthman was not concerned about the high price but motivated by the reward promised by the Messenger of Allah for the one who purchased the well so suffering people could have access to water, a reward no less than Paradise. 

We pray that the efforts of all who participate in this project will be worthy enough to gain Allah's mercy and secure our admission into Paradise.