A PRESTATYN man has said he will dedicate the rest of his life to building wells in poor countries on the African continent.
Antony Taylor, 45, has spent more than 1,000 hours setting up Well Wishers, which aims to employ local contractors to build wells in villages in countries such as Uganda and Senegal.
“Water is a basic necessity of human life and there are people wasting billions of pounds on rubbish,” he said. “Robots are walking the earth and people still cannot get fresh drinking water. It is like they are forgotten people who are swept under the carpet.”
Hand-dug wells can provide filtered drinking water for just £1,800 while more long-lasting borehole wells can be built for £6,000.
Mr Taylor, who works in property maintenance, said he was inspired to start the limited company after meeting a man from Senegal with whom he discussed issues around poverty and clean drinking water in the country.
Borehole wells cost £6,000 and a more long-lasting. Picture: Well Wishers
He had also become frustrated by a lack of transparency over spending of existing charities.
“We’ve all see the adverts that tell us that a small donation of just £3 a week will change a persons life, but they will only get around 20p of that donation,” said Mr Taylor, a former Rhyl High School pupil.
“I don’t want to take a single penny from it. I am constantly working on it from morning to night; I want to actually get something done.
“I will be doing this until the day I die as it is my passion now.”
The first well is due to be built in Fututuro, Senegal, with projects in line in Linguere, Saloum, Nguiro Kebe and Ndiambour.
He has applied for grant schemes such as the National Lottery Fund but is mostly relying on donations from members of the public.
“We have contractors waiting to start work as soon as we get funds together for a well,” Mr Taylor said.
A Well Wishers fundraising event takes place at Nant Hall, Prestatyn with a raffle, stalls, music, face painting, children's entertainers, animal show. The event takes place on June 27 from 10am to 5pm.
For more information about Well Wishers and to donate, visit www.well-wishers.org
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