Over 300 families to benefit from solar water project

Esinathy Sibanda,Chronicle Reporter

OVER 300 families in Majiji area of Bubi District will benefit from a solar water project commissioned on Wednesday, with a call for villagers to utilise it to develop their area.

This is one of two solar-powered projects to provide safe drinking water to people through a programme funded by a United Kingdom based Non-Governmental Organisation, UK Natcom, through the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme.

Five reservoir tanks were set up and will supply 18 000 litres of water daily to both Majiji Primary and Secondary schools as well as the community.

Speaking during the commissioning ceremony in Majiji, Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs Minister, Cde Richard Moyo, who was represented by the deputy director in his office, Mr Tapera Mugoriya, challenged communities to take advantage of such initiatives to foster development.

“Besides using this water for domestic purposes, as a province we want to promote a commercial approach to the use of water. Schools should have small commercially run gardens that can generate funds for development. You can’t be watching water pipes passing through your place while you are not being productive. We hope to be called one day to be shown some things bought from the garden projects’ proceeds,” he said.

“These schemes must be productive and strides should be made to grow business ventures around these schemes. The local leadership working together with the schemes’ management structures should drive this endeavour.”

Cde Moyo said the commissioning of such projects shows Government’s commitment to see the successful implementation of Vision 2030, as guided by President Mnangagwa.

“We will work to ensure that we have communities with improved water and sanitation coverage with a view to reducing walking distances to water sources for both domestic and agricultural use,” he said.

Before the project was implemented, villagers walked for more than five kilometres to the nearest water bodies.

Bubi District water and sanitation chairman, Mr Vusisizwe Ncube, described the project as a state-of-the-art facility which requires all villagers to have a sense of ownership.

“For the first time in the district, we have state-of-the-art technology. An engineer can control it from the office. He can monitor its correct usage. This means it is more advanced than all other piped schemes,” said Mr Ncube.

Villagers and school representatives expressed their appreciation for the project.

The Majiji community was urged to safeguard the infrastructure from vandalism in order to avoid stalling development in the area. – @esinathy_essira