Mud Divers, or how to dig 18 wells

With the nearby Gambia River, the groundwater level in the 6 ha garden area is just a few meters below ground level. In the beginning the young men of Jumansar, a village with around 1000 inhabitants in the Baddibou district of The Gambia, can do the digging of the 2 meter diameter wells by themselves. At about 3 m depth, water is infiltrating. Now starts the work of the mud divers. They tap off the mud, and their colleagues pull it up bucket after bucket.

At some point it is only possible with diving. Until they reach gravel ground. Then the cement rings can be placed. They don´t have a water level bubble to level the heavy cylinders in this muddy water, it´s all set in place with the susceptibility of the divers. After a few hours the water clears up. The mud divers lift some last parts of clay. From 18 wells. Out of which 150 women water their vegetable garden beds.