Water wells in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Yemen — sadaqah jariyah for South Asia

The crisis. More than 200 million people across these three countries lack consistent access to safe water.

Pakistan: an estimated 60 million people without clean water access, amid groundwater contamination, recurring droughts, and infrastructure gaps.

Bangladesh: 35 to 77 million people exposed to arsenic-contaminated groundwater — one of the largest mass poisoning events in history.

Yemen: 17.8 million people needing water assistance, as the war, drought, and infrastructure collapse combine into what the UN has called the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

The solution. Deep tube wells and properly constructed hand pumps bypass contaminated surface water and shallow aquifers, reaching safe, arsenic-free water below. Solar-powered wells sustain larger communities in conflict and arid zones where fuel and electricity are unreliable.

Why LaunchGood donors support South Asia. Pakistan has the highest number of active water campaigns on LaunchGood — 29 of them. Yemen receives the second-highest all-time funding across all regions ($11.6M), reflecting Muslim donor response to an extreme humanitarian crisis.

Bangladesh benefits from cost-effective hand pumps that serve densely populated rural areas, maximizing people served per dollar.

All three are Muslim-majority populations where donors can fulfill sadaqah and zakat obligations directly within the ummah. And South Asian wells are generally lower cost than African projects, making them highly accessible at $200 to $400 per hand pump.

Current crisis. Roughly 60 million Pakistanis lack safe drinking water. Groundwater contamination, climate-induced droughts in Sindh and Balochistan, and rural infrastructure gaps compound the challenge.

LaunchGood impact.

LaunchGood's donor impact

29 active campaigns (the highest of any country).

$9.7M raised all-time.

$209 average hand pump cost — the lowest globally.

Projects serve rural Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan.

Well types in Pakistan:

Hand pump wells — $209 average. Range $14 to $545 ($14 = partial contribution). Serves 200 to 400 people. Lasts 15 to 25 years. Best for rural villages with shallow water tables.

Solar-powered wells — $1,460 average. Range $68 to $2,704. Serves 500 to 800 people. Lasts 20 to 30 years. Best for larger communities, schools, and clinics.

Deep boreholes — $1,086 average. Range $600 to $2,028. Serves 1,500 to 3,000 people. Lasts 30 to 40 years. Best for arid regions in Sindh and Balochistan.

Electric / motor pumps — $474 to $1,153. An alternative to solar for communities with existing electrical infrastructure.

Why Pakistan costs are lower. Established drilling infrastructure, competitive labor costs, and shallow water tables combine to produce the most affordable entry point for water well donations globally. Many campaigns also offer $10 to $50 partial contribution tiers.

Current crisis — arsenic contamination. Between 35 and 77 million Bangladeshis are exposed to arsenic-contaminated groundwater — one of the largest mass-poisoning events in modern history.

Shallow tube wells at 10 to 50 feet tap directly into the contaminated aquifer, with long-term exposure causing cancers, skin lesions, and organ failure.

The solution is deeper drilling: wells reaching 100 to 300 feet bypass the contamination entirely.

8 active campaigns.

$6.1M raised all-time.

$376 average hand pump cost.

Projects serve rural villages in Sylhet, Chittagong, Dhaka, and Rajshahi divisions.

Hand pump wells — $376 average. Range $120 to $947. Serves 200 to 400 people. The critical function is drilling deep enough (100 to 300 feet) to bypass shallow arsenic-contaminated aquifers — the main reason Bangladesh hand pumps cost more than Pakistan's.

Electric / motor pumps — $500 to $2,434. Deeper pumping capacity, accessing safe water below the contamination layer.

Full water wells — $351 average. Complete installations for small to medium communities.

Why Bangladesh matters. Exceptionally high rural population density means every well reaches more people per dollar than almost anywhere else. More importantly, wells here are literally life-saving, not only convenient.

Current crisis — the world's worst humanitarian emergency. The war since 2015 has destroyed water systems, drought has depleted already-fragile aquifers, and repeated cholera outbreaks spread through communities relying on contaminated water.

An estimated 17.8 million people currently need water assistance.

$11.6M raised all-time (second-highest after the Palestinian Territories).

Active campaigns serve displaced populations and besieged communities.

Some of the highest donor engagement per campaign on the platform.

Well types in Yemen:

Solar-powered wells — $5,070 average. Extreme desert conditions, deep water tables, and active conflict zones drive costs far above regional averages. Each well serves 500 to 800 people and lasts 20 to 30 years. Solar dominates because most regions lack a functioning electrical grid and diesel fuel is prohibitively expensive. The high cost reflects deep drilling (200 to 400 feet), specialized equipment, and security logistics.

Deep boreholes. Required across most of Yemen due to arid climate. Boreholes tap deep aquifers below contamination and depletion layers.

Why Yemen costs are higher. Extreme arid climate drives very deep water tables; conflict premiums (security logistics, armed convoys, hazard pay) add to every project; contractor availability is sharply limited in war zones; and hard geology requires specialized equipment.

Why donors support Yemen. The world's worst humanitarian crisis creates urgent moral imperative. Despite higher headline costs, the sadaqah jariyah value is high: $5,070 serves 500 to 800 people for 20 to 30 years, and many campaigns are marked zakat-eligible.

Hand pumps:

Pakistan: $209 average (lowest globally).

Bangladesh: $376 average (deeper drilling to avoid arsenic).

Yemen: not common (water tables too deep).

Solar wells:

Pakistan: $1,460 average.

Bangladesh: not common (electric motor pumps preferred).

Yemen: not common (water tables too deep).

Deep boreholes:

Pakistan: $1,086 average.

Bangladesh: $500 to $2,434 (motor pumps bypassing arsenic layer).

Yemen: $5,070+ (very deep drilling).

Takeaway. Pakistan offers the most affordable entry point at $209. Bangladesh addresses a life-threatening arsenic contamination crisis at $376. Yemen serves the world's most acute humanitarian emergency at $5,070 per solar well.