COVID-19 taught us a variety of lessons.
When the pandemic interrupted supply lines and caused fuel shortages in Haiti in 2020, we began stockpiling drums of fuel to protect ourselves against future emergencies.
When the pandemic interrupted supply lines and made it almost impossible for us to buy small quantities of hand pumps in Nigeria, we ordered enough pumps in India to fill an entire 40-foot shipping container. This long-term investment in inventory, and others like it, will ensure a much more secure supply and enable us to receive large-volume discounts from key suppliers.
Also, when the pandemic interrupted supply lines and made it impossible for us to receive a long-overdue order of essential polymer compound for drilling wells in Liberia, we opted to order and send by courier a very small supply that filled the gap until the larger order could finally arrive.
And when the pandemic slowed our well-drilling activities due to the fuel and inventory shortages we were suffering, we realized the importance of being able to quickly pivot towards more pump repairs and towards additional partners. In early 2021, we signed an agreement with a non-government organization to begin drilling wells and repairing pumps in Nigeria.
And in mid 2021, we signed a similar agreement with a non-government organization in Kenya to significantly expand our drilling and repair presence there. The new partnerships enabled Lifewater to direct donors’ support to areas of Africa where it is most needed during and after the pandemic.
Ultimately, COVID-19 reinforced in us the importance of being ready to quickly adapt to a changing environment, including directing resources towards protective masks, cleaning solutions, etc., so our overseas staff could save lives in the communities they are serving.
When social distancing made it difficult for large numbers of people to gather for our health and hygiene training that accompanies water projects, we held smaller classes and checked the body temperatures of participants before the training began. Our drilling and repair teams also wore masks and practiced social distancing. Like the rest of the world, we adapted!
