The Majoni/Zhou water point was a diesel powered borehole broken for more than 3 years, which resulted in the community drinking unsafe water from the nearby river. They had neither the capital nor the expertise to get the engine repaired.
Thanks to the combined efforts of two short emergency projects, supported by OXFAM and ACF through Unicef’s WASH Programme, Africa AHEAD was able not only to construct the sophisticated solar powered pump for a borehole with a header tank and sufficient water to supply 15 villages with piped water from a safe underground aquafer, but to mobilise the villagers themselves into 17 Community Health Clubs which then provided all the labour to dig over 10 kms of trenches to lay the pipe.
This immense community effort was all achieved in the record time of under 3 months providing much appreciated relief to the local population who now all have access to clean water within 400 meters of their home. This ready access instantly translates into better hygiene through the ready availability of water to wash and clean more frequently.