GBARNGA, Bong – In an effort to help address the challenges facing residents of communities and some institutions in accessing safe drinking water, the Rotary Club of Gbarnga has embarked on the construction of water wells in five communities and institutions in Gbarnga.
Access to safe drinking water in many communities and institutions in Bong remains a challenge. Many residents in rural and some urban areas usually fetch drinking water from open wells, creeks, and other unhealthy sources, which can often lead to waterborne diseases.
The project to construct the hand pumps in five communities was facilitated through a grant from the Rotary Club of California, according to officials of the Gbarnga Rotary Club.
The Rotary Club is a worldwide humanitarian-focused club.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony at one of the wells at the Bong County Technical College, the president of the Rotary Club of Gbarnga, Anna Siakor-Mbaku, said the project is part of the organization’s Water and Sanitation Project, which was instituted during the administration of the immediate past president, Rupert Surian.
The president of the Rotary Club of Gbarnga, Anna Siakor-Mbaku. Photo: Emmanuel Ballah.
She said the project seeks to provide safe drinking water for residents of Bong and create awareness on sanitation.
“In Bong County, we saw that in Gbarnga, a lot of communities do not have access to clean drinking water, so as you see today, we are drilling the first water well at the Bong County Technical College here,†Siakor-Mbaku said.
She named the New Lelekpayea, People Street, LPMC Road, Immigration Checkpoint in the New Iron Gate community, and the Bong County Technical College in the Gboveh Hill community as areas that would benefit from the project.
The Rotary Club of Gbarnga president extolled her predecessor, Rupert Surian, for his farsightedness in initiating the project.
Surian, the immediate past president of the local organization, expressed joy over the implementation of the project by his successor, which he believes will contribute to the livelihood of Gbarnga residents.
Surian said the project is part of efforts by Rotarians in Gbarnga to assist the government in providing safe drinking water for residents.
He put the total cost of the project at US$53,000.
Surian furthered that the project will be extended to other parts of the county, with specific emphasis on Panta and Zota districts.
For his part, an American Rotarian Dan Bodger, who transported the drilling equipment from California, also expressed delight over the project and called on beneficiaries to take the wells as theirs, ensuring security and sustainability.
Rotarian Dan Bodger transported the drilling equipment from California. Photo: Emmanuel Ballah.
He promised to continuously work with the club in Gbarnga to provide further assistance to Liberians.
Gbarnga’s Rotary Club has already certificated several young people who have been trained to operate the drilling machines. They will oversee the operation of the machines in constructing of all the water wells in the county.
Featured photo by Emmanuel Ballah
