KUWAIT: The International Islamic Charitable Organization (IICO) opened on Thursday Kuwait Artesian Well in Niger, which operates on a solar energy system to serve more than 2,500 beneficiaries in a village in Dosso Region, in cooperation with the Cooperation Society for Human Services. IICO said in a press statement that the project contributes to addressing the problem of thirst that the population of Niger suffers from due to the dryness of most of its lands, in addition to serving the people of the village and helping the state in combating drought and developing agriculture and trade.

It pointed out that the well was drilled at a depth ranging from 60 to 100 meters and was provided with a water tank 8 meters high and with a capacity of 5,000 liters, along with a pump capable of withdrawing about 2,500 liters per hour. The organization explained that the well is equipped with solar panels, pointing out that the life span of the well is 15 years and represents an urgent need for the residents of Niger.

During the past five years, the Charitable Organization opened model villages with integrated facilities and services in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, which provided an advanced state of security, stability, and a decent life for about 2,500 people. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, with more than 63 percent of the population living below the poverty line, according to a UNESCO report, and it is ranked last in the world on the Human Progress Index, according to a report by the United Nations Development Program. — KUNA