10. Timbuktu’s well digger

He is to examine the well to understand why there is no water and if it is possible to make it generous with abundant water. Ibrahim knows all the modern techniques for building and reclaiming wells: he is a legend in the desert, his wells never dry out, he is the Marabou of all the wells of Timbuktu, everyone has learned from him.

He has explained to me well how he built his wells and has convinced me of his ability to fix the Tuareg well if it is possible.
The Tuareg had told me: “We have to make a new well, we know that when the sand wells up inside the well there is nothing else we can do.”
I said to Ali: “I cannot believe that there is no technological solution to this problem. Building a new well would only be a waste if you can fix this. “

His team lowered him slowly down into the well with a rope as he probed and examined the well.

When he came back up he told me: “I understood everything” and he explained why the sand came up into the well and why the water was so scarce.
We drank some tea and our engineer explained what should be done to me and to the attentive Tuaregs.   

It is certainly not an easy job but he assured us that at the end of the job we will have, inshAllah, a new well with abundant water in all seasons, because he knows the area and an inexhaustible river flows below.

That morning we signed the contract with Ibrahim Traore to restore the well and paid the advance to buy all the necessary materials.
Ibrahim and his team are to remain in an encampment that they will mount in the desert for the duration of the works, that should last 28 days.