Construction: 2005 – 2009. Renovation and drink well. The village Nando is situated high up on the plateau in the Pinari. It is an authentic village with beautiful old houses. The beautiful mosque which was constructed on top and over a nearly 600 year-old mosque is one of the most unique buildings in mali. The village is explicitly stated as part of the World Heritage, just like the nearby Pah, Bolimba and Niogono. These villages are threatened by exodus which would leave the houses to fall into further disrepair. Many organizations have done research in these villages, however the true contribution has been very limited. The poverty is high and the means to survive, like water, are very limited. The scarce water will not readily be used to repair the mud buildings. The closest well is over an hour walking away all the way down, and then even further from the village of Nando On Ba. Once down there the water needs to be carried up by the women, balancing the jars on their heads. Because of the beautiful Dogon architecture and the barren conditions SDO has decided to adopt the village, starting with the organization of water. Two wells were dug for this. 
One well on the plateau close to the village, with a depth of 45 meters and one well about 20 meters deep at the foot of the cliff. At the well situated at the foot of the cliff a pump installation with solar panels has been realized. The water is pumped up 100 meters, using a ‘Grundfoss’ pump, and transported 1000 meters to a 4 meter high water silo which is located at the well on the plateau. The pump works by using 4 solar panels of 85 watts, which works over 8 hours every day, and pumps about 4000 liters of water up each day. Now that water is available the houses in bad shape can be renovated. Despite the poverty a fantastic atmosphere can be felt in the village, and everyone is enthusiastic to help repair the old houses. They are convinced of the meaning of the village, and are eager to repair it out of respect for their ancestors. The village is visited by quite a lot of tourists. There are plans to let the tourists pay entrance fees to fund further renovations. In the future SDO will help with the planning and funding of this special Dogon village. The starting point will always be that the activities and the investments will benefit the local population. 
Video of Nando
