90 year old builds wells in Africa

My grandfather, Ian Stephenson is not your regular 90 year old. He recently celebrated his birthday – not with balloons, birthday cake or a quiet celebration with his family, but with a trepidatious and difficult trip to Africa where he is helping to build wells for villages with no access to clean water.

Ian has always focused on helping others – as an Anglican Reverend, his life’s work has been to give, help and teach. Although he is technically retired, Ian’s passion for helping others has not diminished with age. Over the years, he has built many connections with people in Africa through the children he has sponsored and adults whose training and education he has contributed to.

During an email conversation with a Tanzanian local, Ian was made aware of the dire situation of a village named Chikola (35km from Dodoma, the capital of Tanzania), where the people have no well and no access to clean water. This spurred him to action, regardless of the great distances involved and the funds required to make a difference.

Ian planned a trip to Chikola, which coincided with his 90th birthday. He stayed with locals in the village and experienced first-hand the difficulties the people there encounter, trying to scoop water out of a deep, dirty hole in the ground. The water is unclean and often dries up entirely, leaving the villagers with the serious risks of starvation and dehydration.

Now back in New Zealand, Ian is committed to helping the people of Chikola. The cost of building a well is $13,000 NZD, and he is determined to provide clean, accessible water for this village. The Don Bosco Water Project is able to perform the work, and once the money is raised the work can be completed within a month. He has already raised just over $5000 toward the project, and hopes to raise the remaining funds as soon as possible.

Please help my granddad to provide clean, safe water for the people of Chikola. I think what he is doing is amazing and inspiring - you can help him to succeed.