Turkey's Diyanet to set up 48 water wells in Africa

Turkiye Diyanet Foundation (TDV) said Thursday it would set up 48 water wells in eight African countries as part of its 'A Drop of Life' project.

The wells that aim to aid those who suffer from drought will open between Thursday and Feb. 16, according to a written statement by the group which is affiliated with the state Religious Affairs Directorate.

The statement said: "TDV is setting up water wells in areas where there are problems in accessing clean water due to economic difficulties, difficult climate conditions, or lack of water resources.

"The wells that have been opened as part of the project work with electricity and solar energy, and are offered to the public for use with electric water pumps and fountains," it added.

The wells will be set up in Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger, Kenya, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

The foundation has, so far, opened 132 water wells in 15 different countries, each having the capacity of storing drinking water enough for 20 to 30 years, according to the statement.

While focusing on obtaining clean water for drought-hit, Muslim-majority countries in Asia and Africa as part of its 2018 projects, the TDV also carries out activities in 135 countries in various fields, including education, culture, social and charity work, and international humanitarian aid.