Salima communities get three boreholes
Community members in traditional authorities (T/As) Pemba and Kalonga in Salima have commended a Palestinian charity, Al Baila, for drilling three boreholes in their areas.
Speaking on Monday during the handover at Mwafuti Village in T/A Kalonga, village headKuchilimani said his subjects used to drink water from unprotected sources.
“This posed a threat of contracting waterborne diseases such as cholera, especially during the rainy season,” he said.
Kuchilimani also said traditional leaders have already formulated by-laws to safeguard the boreholes against vandalism.
Rose Chawawa, a community member from Yakobe Village in T/A Pemba, said women used to travel long distances to get clean water.
“We used to wake up early to go to nearby villages to draw water. Sometimes there were fights on who should draw water first,” she said.
Another community member, Emma Changata from Matumula Village in the same area, said children will now report to school on time.
“Girls were reporting to school late because they had to fetch water first,” she said.
In his remarks, the organisation’s director Rasheed Watad said they drilled boreholes in the three communities because their assessment showed that people had no access to clean water.
He said: “We believe that human beings need dignified conditions to realise their potential.
“Water is an important resource; hence, the initiative to drill three boreholes.”
Watad said they left contacts with community leaders to be alerted in case the boreholes break down.
