How do you build a well in someone's name?

How do you build a well in someone's name? Remembrance / tribute

Building a well in the name of a loved one who has passed away is far more than a simple act of remembrance. It is a symbolic way to honour their memory and keep it alive through something real that goes on doing good, day after day, for the people who need it.

In Islamic tradition, this is known as Sadaqa Jariya: an ongoing charity whose blessings multiply over time.

But what are the blessings of helping to build a well in Islam?

The spiritual foundations of the memorial well in Islamic tradition

💡 La construction d'un puits en mémoire d'une personne trouve ses racines dans les enseignements islamiques fondamentaux, à travers le concept de la Sadaqa Jariya. Cette pratique charitable possède une dimension spirituelle profonde 🙏, retranscrite dans le Riyadh as-Salihin (Les Jardins des Vertueux), un recueil de hadiths composé au XIIIe siècle par l’imam an-Nawawi, qui sert à illustrer les valeurs éthiques et spirituelles applicables à la vie quotidienne des croyants musulmans 🌙.

Hadith no. 1383, narrated by Muslim, for example, reports the words of the Prophet Muhammad that lay the theological foundations of Sadaqa Jariya: “When the son of Adam dies, his deeds come to an end except for three: an ongoing charity (Sadaqa Jariya), knowledge from which people benefit, and a pious child who prays for him.”

Sunan An-Nasa'i also mentions, in Sunan no. 3664, making water available to those who need it, by building wells, distributing water or installing water points. When Sa'd ibn 'Ubâdah asked the Prophet, “O Messenger of Allah! My mother has died. May I give charity on her behalf? [...] What is the best charity?”, the answer he received was: “Giving water to drink”. After receiving this prophetic advice, Sa'd ibn 'Ubâdah is said to have dug a well dedicated to the spiritual benefit of his late mother.

👉 Contemporary Muslim scholars (‘Ulamā’) are unanimous: building a well is a model Sadaqa Jariya ✨. Indeed, building a well, in Islam, brings spiritual rewards for as long as it keeps working and serving local people. The reward of this charitable act therefore benefits the deceased, provided the donor's intention is clearly set.

How is a well built when you give through LIFE?

Giving to fund a borehole or a well in tribute to someone with LIFE means a lasting project with a 100% transparent process ✅. As a Lifechanger, you are kept informed by our team at every stage, from the moment we receive your donation to the inauguration of your well 💧.

OASIS: three types of project to save lives

LIFE projects have two aims:

1. to fit what LifeChangers can afford 🫶,
2. to meet communities' vital needs: saving lives and supporting them towards self-reliance 🧡,

That's why we created the Water Sponsor subscription, which lets you help bring access to clean drinking water to people in need from just €15 a month, the price of a Netflix subscription! This kind of support also funds the building and upkeep of latrines, essential for hygiene and for protecting people's dignity 🫶.

💧 Would you rather fund the building of a well? You absolutely can, with our €2,500 fountain option (which costs you only €840 after French tax relief). This deep borehole, fitted with a mechanical or electric pump, provides a constant supply of clean drinking water for nearly 500 people. Saving lives has never been so simple 👍.

Finally, our most generous LifeChangers can give a water tower, from €10,000 (just €3,400 after French tax relief. This type of structure is built with a borehole and a 5,000-litre tank 💧. It has several taps (between 3 and 5) to provide clean drinking water to more than 1,000 people, while also supporting local farming. And just like the fountains, this option is available in 1, 5 or 10 interest-free instalments 👌.

Three projects, five shared stages

The OASIS project follows five stages:

1. It all starts with the funding and assessment phase 🔍: as soon as we receive your donation, our team carries out field studies to check the project is feasible and that local conditions will allow lasting access to clean drinking water.
2. Next comes the project allocation phase 📍: we choose the country and community that will benefit, based on where needs have been identified as most urgent.
3. Then the project finally comes to life as work begins 🚧: the teams drill to reach a groundwater table, usually between 30 and 150 metres deep depending on the ground. This stage determines the quality and quantity of water that will be available.
4. Throughout the works, this is the progress update phase 💌: every LifeChanger is kept informed of their project's life cycle. Our team sends regular reports, with photos and videos, so you can follow the site's progress and see it take shape.
5. And at last comes the long-awaited moment of the inauguration ✨! When a LifeChanger funds a well (fountain, water tower) for a village, it is unveiled with a plaque bearing their name, but they can choose to have the name of the person they wish to honour inscribed instead.

Following up the project

Once the well or borehole is inaugurated, a Water Management Committee (CGE), formed within the village, takes charge of its upkeep. It can contact LIFE's local partners if any problem arises. The NGO also follows up every project with WASH audits to check water quality and anticipate maintenance needs. Thanks to this system, every LifeChanger can be sure their tribute endures and brings lasting help to the community 🧡.

Setting up a fundraiser to share the cost

To organise a family collection and build a well in the name of someone who has passed away, you can set up an online charity fundraiser. On the LIFE website, it only takes a few clicks: choose a name, briefly explain the goal (here, funding a well for a village) and set the amount to raise 👌.

You can then share your fundraiser link by email or on social media to rally the people around you. It's this shared solidarity that makes all the difference. Rest assured that LIFE takes no commission on the funds raised and guarantees that all transactions are 100% secure. Once the collection closes, LIFE uses the funds to build the well ✨.

Sadaqa Jariya: what are the alternatives to building a well?

Sadaqa Jariya covers every action whose good effects last over time and bring lasting benefit to the community. Planting a tree, for example, is an act of ongoing charity that brings benefits across several generations. As well as fighting deforestation and global warming, a tree provides food, firewood and shade, and is sometimes home to local wildlife. Our SAPOUSSE action programme plants trees and brings real forests to life, benefiting both people and the environment 🌱.