The mission of Pont d'aide is to provide access to drinking water to poor citizens in African regions with an arid or semi-arid climate and known for their water shortage. We focus on rural areas most affected by the lack of clean water and whose accessibility to villages is very difficult (mountainous areas). Our projects are currently concentrated in North Africa and in the Sahel countries.
Can I choose the name to be mentioned on the memorial plaque?"
Absolutely, a sole or majority donor (covering 60% or more of the cost of completion) of a well project may choose the name to be placed on the memorial plaque of the well they funded.
Can the donor choose a particular region to build his well?
Can the donor choose a particular region to build his well?
If the donor wishes to finance the entire cost of a well in a specific region of his choice, Pont d’aide may study the technical feasibility and the possibility of carrying out the project, especially with regard to the availability of water and the estimated cost of completion. Otherwise, the organization Pont d’aide selects the well projects according to pre-established criteria and collects the funds to implement them.
How do you choose where to drill a well?
By basing it on a literature review of nearby water sources, the history of activities in the area, and interviews with local authorities and residents.
Can I contact the beneficiaries of my well project?
At the request of donors, Pont d'aide could arrange a meeting with the beneficiaries to collect live testimonials.
How can a donor ensure the completion of his project?
The donor is kept informed of the project's milestones and timeline as it progresses. At the end of the project, he or she will receive a notification to that effect, along with a final report, photos and videos of testimonials.
How do we proceed to select the projects?
Projects are selected on need, not cost. Thus, the number of beneficiaries, the accessibility to the village, the involvement of the community and the collaboration of the local authorities are taken into account.
What are the risks associated with the well project?
First of all, Pont d'aide takes all measures to mitigate the risks, however, in some rare cases, a well is dug and no water is found or that the water is found at a depth too deep than initially estimated, significantly increasing the cost of completion.
What happens in case of excess cost?
Where applicable, Pont d’aide and its partner fund the additional cost from their resources. Pont d'aide will inform donors of any excess costs. Donors who have opted for full funding for a well will have the opportunity to increase their contribution if they are interested.
Does my well need maintenance?
Absolutely. The community organization commits to maintaining the well once it’s in operation. Thus, it’s responsible for the supply of electricity (in the absence of solar panels) to power the pump, the repair and maintenance of the equipment (pump, taps, fountain, meters) as well as cleanliness.
Is the cost of drilling wells the same across the country?
The cost of the work execution differs from one region to another. Each project is evaluated separately according to its characteristics (depth of the water table, type of soil, etc.). However, we make sure to have the lowest rates on the market by seeking a minimum of two bids per project.
What are the cost components of a project?
The main cost components of a well project are related to the following elements: drilling, pump, pipes, mechanical room, water fountain, water tower and solar panels. Depending on the budget allocated to the project, the last two elements can be included or excluded.
How can I contribute?
You can make your donation via Interac transfer at Pontaide.ca@gmail.com or via our website. www.pontaide.org. You can choose to make a one-time donation or periodic donations.
Food basket
What is your territory of intervention for this activity
We distribute the food basket in Quebec, especially in Montreal and also in Africa and more precisely in Morocco and in certain countries of the Sahel (Niger, Chad, Senegal)
How can someone in need access your help?
If the person concerned lives in Quebec, he or she should fill out a form to describe his or her situation and someone from the team will call him or her afterwards to discuss the situation and determine his or her needs. Given the limits of our resources, we prioritize the most urgent cases.
Pont d'aide has a team of dedicated volunteers who deliver the baskets to homes or drop-off points (metro stations or others).
As for the beneficiaries of the food basket in Africa, we mandate our partners in the field to collect their data, select them, prioritize the vulnerable among them and deliver the baskets to them.
How do you distribute food basket aid?
Food baskets are distributed exclusively in kind. The composition of the basket varies according to the donations received the cost and the seasons. However, sometimes prepaid purchase cards are distributed for use at a known grocery store.
How often are baskets granted for the same beneficiary?
The food basket is an emergency aid, it’s distributed to the same beneficiary punctually and occasionally and rarely in a regular way (monthly).
Where is your location?
Pont d'aide does not have any physical premises. In fact, Pont d'aide does not incur any rental costs, neither for administration nor for the storage of products, and consequently, its administration costs are almost nil. Thus, it’s able to use all the donations received to fulfill its mission. It should be noted that since there is no administrative office, the Pont d’aide team meets mostly in virtual mode.
How does Help Bridge work?
Pont d'aide applies the notion of real-time. During a basket distribution day, the team buys, puts together and delivers the baskets.
The basket distribution days are scheduled monthly and the beneficiaries are notified of our visit to their area in advance.
