Gerry Knipfel tightly hugs Moumouni Idi a four year old African child Gerry is sponsoring through World Vision. Gerry was able to visit him in his home town in Niger. (Photo provided)
Gerry Knipfel of rural Bristol experienced a personally satisfying humanitarian mission on a 12-day trip to Africa in March 2010. He was part of a small team from World Vision International (WVI) whose goal was to construct wells in the drought-stricken West African country of Niger, much of which is covered by the Sahara Desert.
On the last leg of the trip the team flew from Paris to Niamey, the country’s capital on the Niger River. Gerry says it was “quite a shock to the system” of a 75-year-old man to travel from snow in Bristol to 102 degree heat in Niger.
Once there the team traveled by four-wheeled drive trucks (there are few roads) to remote villages without access to reliable sources of water. Gerry had contributed $15,000 (the cost of drilling one well) on condition that he be allowed to choose the village which would receive the gift.
After visiting several villages, the choice was Toungoujou, where the local women were spending 6 grueling hours every day trekking to the nearest river for their daily supply of water. After several unsuccessful tries, water was found at a depth of 60 meters (over 180 feet). Matching funds from a charitable foundation provided for a second well, which now supplies enough water for three other villages, including thousands of people.
Water gushes from the new well in Toungoujou.
Gerry proudly displays a hand made basket given to him by the mother of one of the children he sponsors. On the left is a wall made up of all his children’s pictures and profiles, prominently displayed in his home. (Photo by Laurie Eads)
Gerry has been involved with the World Vision organization since 1983, when he “adopted” a poor child for monthly financial support. He now supports 13 children, mostly in Africa, at $35 per month each. Gerry was thrilled to be able to meet two of them in person on his trip to Niger. “It was quite a humbling experience, but it’s the best investment I ever made,” stated Gerry.
This ongoing project has been so satisfying to Gerry that he plans to add a new child each year to his list for monthly support. He says that, like some people who collect souvenirs, “I collect kids.”
He is already working on a new project for 2011. Since very few children in Niger are able to go to school, he will be assisting with a plan to provide three one-room schoolhouses in the country, which is one of the poorest in the world.
WVI was organized in 1950 to provide humanitarian relief for the world’s poor. Those interested in learning more about its work can consult its website at www.wvi.org.
