The Best Water and Safest Water Ever
World Hope International drilled a new borehole in the Bo District of Sierra Leone, a project that included construction of a fence to protect the well, the hand pump installation, the training of the Water Management Committee (WMC), and the chlorination of the water in the well.
The 75-year old Baoma community stands along the Sewa River (one of the major rivers in Sierra Leone) in the Lugbu chiefdom in Bo District. The community has a total population of over 380 inhabitants, including women and children. Mr. Masaquoi, a retired school teacher, was nominated by the town chief to share about the new well and the impact it is already making on their community and surrounding villages…
“For 75 years no support has ever come to this village. God has used you to bring us sanity by providing water and training on sanitation and hygiene sufficiency to this community. Since the time of our great ancestors, this community had never received any support of such kind. World Hope International is the first organization to enter this land with equipment of such kind ever in the history of this community. We have tried several requests through the governments, but no help came at all. But whatever God has destined will surely come to pass.”
“Today, this is Baoma, a typical traditional community enjoying the same facility that other citizens of this same country have been enjoying. The present generation is going to enjoy this facility on onto our great children—by then we will be called ancestors, as of those who lived before our time.”
“In time past, Baoma was the host to any water related disease outbreak prevalence like typhoid, cholera, diarrhea, and vomiting, etc. Women and children are most vulnerable to any outbreak of the above-mentioned diseases. Every year we have to lose active women and potential growing children.”
“During the early dry season (December, January February) each year, we have to sail in a boat across the Sewa in search of better-quality water than the river. As you can see that is another District (Bonthe District Main Land). In the adverse dries (March April), these local wells will dry up and we and our hosts will have no alternative but to both meet at the river to collect water for both drinking and other domestic purposes.“
“Remember, the Sewa river is a multi-purpose river with a lot of activities carried in it like mining, fishing, laundering, and bathing.“
“This is one evidence of the activities that taking place that contributes to the unsafe of this water that is causing a lot of trouble on us as a people dwelling in different locations along this river. In any case and so as far as water is concerned, we the people of Baoma, I can say we are free from water related hazards that has been troubling us in the past. In many dry seasons we were hosted by the Bonthe people, this time round we are going to host them and give the best water and safest water ever.“
The people of Baoma are grateful for the installation of the well, “which has remedied us from several of the water diseases prevalent, that have killed a lot of our people in the past.” They are also thankful “for the good work and the training we received on how to take care of this good water provided to us.”
Mr. Masaquoi also noted that the presence of these services (the Water Management Committee training and the well itself), although new, already has had a great impact in the lives of his people, particularly given that
- The facility is close to the community
- The water is safe and good to drink
- The water is readily available at any given time for use
- Having the well promotes sanitation and personal hygiene (hygiene takes effect when water and sanitation facilities are available)
Goal #6 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is to “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.” Clean water and the power it has to transform communities and the lives of individuals is an important part of World Hope International’s work around the world. You can support our global efforts to achieve this and other SDGs with a gift to The Hope Fund today.