peter
Sunday News Reporter
A non-governmental organisation has set its sights on accelerating the provision of alternative water sources in Bulawayo after it acquired a drilling rig.
The Lot Water Project set up solar-powered boreholes in the past three years in Luveve and is aiming at expanding to other suburbs after acquiring the rig. Bulawayo has been facing acute water challenges in the past five years with one form of water shedding or another being implemented and safe alternative water sources have proved critical as desperate residents have been forced to draw water from open sources which have left them vulnerable to diseases.
Lot Water Project founder Mr Innocent Hadebe said the process of bringing in the drilling rig will help in moving the organisation’s objectives forward.
“When we get the approval to drill at a school or community we can go in and do it ourselves quicker. So far we have drilled six boreholes in about three years but the plan is we want to double that number by September. Moving forward we will think about what other schools we want to do and which areas we expand to in Bulawayo as our initial focus had been Luveve, but we are now looking beyond the constituency. We want to be strategic about how we move forward so maybe go to Magwegwe, Magwegwe North, Pumula, or Emakhandeni, but the plan is we are ready to come through all the schools in Bulawayo,” he said.
The United States-based Mr Hadebe said they acquired the drilling rig at a cost of US$186 000. He said by September they want to have at least 12 boreholes set up in Bulawayo and they have already earmarked five schools in Luveve, having already sent letters to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education for approval to drill in Mafakela, Fusi Primary, Nyanda High, Mbizo Primary and Matshayiskhova.
The Lot Water Project has drilled six boreholes in Luveve with one at Amakhosi Grounds, Old Luveve near Masina terminus, Nzwananzi Primary School, Luveve Primary School, and at the Ugandan Maytars Roman Catholic Church. Another borehole was drilled at Cowdray Park Primary School.
The move to drill boreholes in schools was two-pronged as the organisation sought to augment agricultural studies in schools, while at the same time providing security for the borehole equipment as solar panels had become vulnerable to theft. Despite being located in schools; the boreholes are still accessible to members of the community.
The Lot Water Project came about in response to the 2020 diarrhoea crisis that affected Luveve suburb and resulted in the death of at least 13 people as hundreds were hospitalised.
Mr Hadebe raised funds on the Gofundme platform to assist the communities and following engagements with community leaders, it was agreed the money be used to provide alternative safe water sources.
Online Reporter