From Bangui, to NYC, to Amish country, to Los Angeles, Marcellin has shared his vision for Central Africa. 

 

This summer, the Central African Republic’s top water well driller, Marcellin Namsene, has been touring around the USA with his wife and youngest son. He has been telling his story in churches and living rooms across the country, sharing his vision to provide clean water to every person in his country.

Marcellin in action, drilling a new water well in the Central African Republic. He has drilled hundreds of wells. It’s a dirty job, but one that saves lives.

Marcellin grew up in Yaloké—the same town where Water for Good founder Jim Hocking lived for 18 years, and he grew up best friends with Jim’s eldest son, Jay Hocking.

But it’s not easy for anyone to grow up in the poorest and most remote country in the world, and Marcellin faced a great deal of difficulty. When Marcellin was 13 years old, he lost his father in a car accident, leaving him and his siblings to provide for the family. A bloody civil war in 2003 made things even more difficult.

Jay and Marcellin grew up together in the Central African Republic, building forts back then and new water projects today. 

From the beginning, Marcellin was always an entrepreneur

Marcellin started selling Kool-Aid in the marketplace with Jay, then operated a roadside household supplies shop, and even ran a small trucking business with an old family pickup. His resourcefulness and perseverance have allowed him to not only help himself and his family, but others as well.

From left: Always a privilege to hang out with the awesome staff at charity: water — great partners in making Marcellin’s vision come true. Jay Hocking and Marcellin shared with an audience at The Perk coffee house in Indiana. The Perk donates a week of clean water access for every cup of coffee sold. They rock! Ten-year-old Jesse organized a water-carrying event for her birthday to raise money for clean water. Here she gets to meet Marcellin, her water hero.

Now Marcellin is on a mission to bring reliable, safe water through his own business to every person in the Central African Republic…one water well at a time.

Back in 2007, a whole community relied on this puddle for their water access during the dry season. Marcellin says that seeing that changed his life. It was first time he felt moved by seeing water poverty in his country and this made water well drilling his vocation.

Fun Facts:

Did you know that Water for Good is the largest water provider in the Central African Republic?

Did you know that Water for Good implements all projects through local staff?

Did you know that Water for Good is committed to bringing water to the entire country by 2030?