Boreholes
Boreholes in Zimbabwe
Providing clean water in Zimbabwe is ”good aid”. Kiwilink Zimbabwe is helping provide boreholes and hand pumps in arid rural areas. Having water security transforms communities. Water shortages have been a problem in Zimbabwe for many years and in resettlement areas especially, it is common for families to walk up to 10km to get drinking water. Often children are sent to fetch water in the afternoon when they return home from school. They go to the nearest source which might even be a dried river bed where they dig a hole and wait water for water to seep in. The water is then transferred to a container and taken home. Kiwilink has responded by raising money to drill water bore holes in these areas. |
Costing around NZ$6,000 each, these boreholes have reduced the walking distance and provided more accessible water for growing vegetables. Since 2007 an additional 70 boreholes have been drilled. A recent borehole has proved particularly successful and in continuous operation. Some families are traveling with the donkey carts up to 15km.
A 12 year old boy said “… I have had to wake up at 4am before I go to school to fetch 20 litres of water every day for my grandmother. I walked 10km each way. Now, to think that from tomorrow, I will only have to walk 200 metres is like a dream…” Check out this 2 1/2 minute promotional video. |