dyton mupawaenda
Primrose Zimano-Herald Correspondent
Beverages manufacturer Delta Corporation has brought smiles to Nyahunda villagers in Bikita after it sunk a US$10 000 solar-powered borehole to provide clean water and repaired the local primary school in keeping with President Mnangagwa’s mantra, “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo/ Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo”,
The borehole is particularly useful at this point when 62 districts across the country, including Bikita itself, are battling a cholera outbreak.
As of February 17, 463 suspected cholera deaths and 71 confirmed deaths have been recorded, making the borehole investment useful.
Apart from the borehole, Delta has also refurbished Chitendero Primary School that was damaged by a heavy storm last year. A classroom block, a teacher’s house and ablution facilities for learners, were refurbished at a cost of US$15 000.
Learners were left in the open after the school was damaged by heavy rains last year October.
Delta focused on addressing the problem of water shortage and poor sanitation at Tagona Secondary and Chitenderano schools, plus the community as part of its corporate social responsibility programme.
In a statement, Delta corporate affairs manager Ms Patricia Murambinda said the double project had enabled the company to take a step towards empowering communities to fight against the cholera pandemic, while delivering on the vital human need of access to water.
“The provision of the solarised borehole will alleviate climate change-induced water shortages in rural areas housing some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in the country, which has been made possible through a generous grant from Delta,” she said.
She said the refurbishment of the classroom block, a teacher’s house and ablution facilities at Chitenderano was aimed at ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
“We are encouraged that this project has acted as a catalyst for alumni and former learners to participate in community projects. Some of them have recently teamed up to rehabilitate a borehole at the Ngorima Clinic which is catering for increased cholera cases,” she said.
Bikita has perennial water shortages and outbreaks of diarrhoea and typhoid are common in the community because of people using contaminated and unclean water.
The Bikita water project is driven by the need to provide much-needed clean and safe water to the vulnerable communities.
Online Reporter