In the Gaza Strip, where access to clean water is becoming increasingly scarce amidst a humanitarian crisis, a local initiative harnessing the power of the sun is offering a glimmer of hope. Mohammed Assalia and his team have embarked on a remarkable project to provide clean water to their neighbors through solar-powered wells.
“Yesterday, I filled this car with clean water from the well, 6,500 liters, and distributed it among people in need of water,” Mohammed Assalia told ABC News. “Some people use these wheelchairs to transport the water they fill, which is kinda sad but it does the thing.” This comes at a critical time, as the region contends with the aftermath of Israel declaring war on Hamas, which has further devastated the already fragile infrastructure of Gaza.
“With the solar-powered well in my house, at least 1,000 people benefited and received clean water every day,” Assalia said. “Now people from other neighborhoods have come to use it and we’re trying to help more by operating as many wells as possible.”
Assalia has brought together a team with diverse skills to tackle the crisis: Khalil Samara, an alternative energy engineer; Mohammed Hajj-Ali, a welder; and Masoud Nabhan, a plumber. Their combined expertise has resulted in at least “1,000 people” benefiting from the clean water provided by the solar-powered wells, according to Assalia. However, the high costs of materials, which have quadrupled since before the war, pose significant challenges to the expansion of this life-saving project.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and other NGOs such as Doctors Without Borders have reported that around 70% of the population in Gaza are consuming salinized or contaminated water, leading to a health crisis with increased incidences of flu, dehydration, and hepatitis.
Despite limitations, including restrictions on aid and fuel shipments into the region, grassroots initiatives like Assalia’s are pivotal.”All of the needed materials are currently available here in the North [of Gaza], Al-Yazji company for solar energy and other companies still have materials. However, these materials have become very expensive. An example is a 535-watt solar panel used to be 700 NIS ($192). Now it costs 2,400 NIS, ($657),” Assalia said.
“Most of the wells could not run due to the lack of electricity and destruction of the infrastructure,” he said. “So I contacted an alternative energy engineer and I had him power up a personal well on solar energy. I paid him 400 shekels ($107).”
Access to clean water is a critical concern, with UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell highlighting in December that children in Gaza have “barely a drop to drink.” The situation underlines the urgent need for sustainable solutions like solar energy to circumvent the dependency on a crippled power grid and provide humanitarian relief.
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