GOW #15

Kumirmari, Sundarban Forest

West Bengal, India

 

This well is located at a school in the Sundarban forest in the village of Kumirmari.  The Sundarban forest lies in the vast delta on the Bay of Bengal (between India and Bangladesh) and comprises of mangrove forests, mudflats and barren land. The forest which is home to the royal Bengal tiger is under ecological threat from both human-made and natural causes and is suffering from increased water salinity due to rising sea levels and reduced freshwater supply.  Fresh drinking water is an extremely scarce resource in this region. Our well serves the water needs of approximately 1,300 school children in addition to being used by the local community. We completed this project in partnership with the NGO “BeesTreesWater” and the Chowrenghee Rotary Club.