By Beatific Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI- Communities in Chiredzi recently launched an initiative to contribute funds towards drilling boreholes at village level amidst the El Nino-induced drought.
The villagers mobilized themselves to contribute funds towards the purchase of borehole casings and fuel for the drilling rig, with Chiredzi Rural District Council (CRDC) coming in with expertise and the drilling rig for the exercise.
Chiredzi RDC Chairperson, Aspect Mashingaidze, applauded the communities for mobilizing their funds and partnering with CRDC to ease water challenges.
“Council is working with the communities on a Community Initiative Program where the communities mobilize financial resources towards the procurement of borehole casings and fuel and we provide the drilling rig,” said Mashingaidze.
He said they were drilling 60 meters but can go beyond depending on the contributions made for a particular hole.
“On average, we are drilling around 60 meters per borehole. So far we have started with ward 24, where we have 14 boreholes for 154 villages. Ward 1 has seven borehole sites for seven villages. Ward 3 has one village borehole site while ward 20 and 23 got two boreholes each.
“We have two schools and 24 village sites. We applaud the communities for coming up with the idea for the provisions of clean water to the communities,” said Mashingaidze.
Communities mobilized a total of US$ 31 000.00 while the provisional budget for the council in drilling and maintenance of the drilling rig amounts to US$17 000.00 for the projects.
Ward 24 councilor Tinashe Matanhuse said the idea came following persistent water challenges in his ward as well as the outbreak of cholera where villagers were walking five to six kilometers to fetch water from Mukazi River.
“We did not have access to clean water as villagers would walk five or six kilometers to fetch water from Mukazi River. The other thing that motivated the villagers to come up with such an initiative was the recent cholera outbreak. So far we have drilled seven boreholes though two of them were dry holes,” said Matanhuse.
Ward 20 councilor Tawanda Boora, said the communities were pressured to this initiative by the distances they have been walking to water points to get fresh water.
“Due to persistent water shortages the communities have been facing, they came up with such an initiative where we engaged our local authority to provide us with the drilling rig while we contribute money towards the purchase of fuel and drilling casings,” said Boora.
Ward 1 councilor, Learnmore Muvengi also highlighted the same water challenges and added that the communities were even planning on solarizing the boreholes for easy access.
“The fewer boreholes we have were overwhelmed so we decided, as communities to contribute money towards drilling boreholes as four villages were drinking from the same borehole. So far two villages got their shares and they are planning on solarizing their boreholes,” said Muvengi.
