In an effort to make available safe drinking water for residents, the Association of Evangelicals of Liberia (AEL) has constructed and turned over to the community 31 hand- pumps in Zota District, Bong County.
AEL is the largest network of Churches and agencies of evangelical persuasions in Liberia that is responding to human need with spiritual guidance, compassion and practical care.
With support from Mission Alliance, the Christian organization constructed the pumps in 19 communities in Zota District including Yowee, Lawuell, Mbellequah, Nyesue, Kolonta, Urey Village, Toquah, Farvey, Kpoloya Gbankoni and Gbellai Village.Others include Payeta, Kollieta Warta, and Cow Farm, Global Village, Bellefanai, Shankpala and Naama.
Our correspondent says prior to the construction of the hand pumps, residents of those communities had over the past been finding it very challenging to get access to safe drinking water.
Many of the residents, mostly women used to walk isolated distances to fetch water for drinking and other domestic purposes.
Our correspondent adds that some of the citizens, mainly children lost their lives as a result of drinking from nearby creeks.
The Organization through its Bong County Program Officer Mr. Francis Maxwell has told this paper that out of the 31 hand pumps, 10 were constructed for schools in the District and the remaining 21 are constructed for the communities.
“It was important that we construct those hand- pumps in the district because we observed that the district residents were really struggling to have access to safe drinking water,” Mr. Maxwell says.
According to him, AEL has trained some residents of those communities to repair the pumps whenever the need arises.
Some of the beneficiaries of the hand pump have extended commendations to AEL and partners for the gesture and promised to maintain the hand pumps.
Mr. Alfred Flomokoyah, a resident of Global Village told our correspondent over the weekend that they are very happy gift.
“I am very happy and I don’t even know what to say,” he says.
Mary Kwatae, a widow and mother of two children says prior to the construction of the hand pump in their community, her children were taken at the Bellefanai Hospital almost every month due to drinking from cluttered well and running water.
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“I want to say thank you to AEL because they have taken another problem from my head,” he says.
Our correspondent who toured the facilities says, the hand pumps were constructed in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other local county authorities.
By Joseph Titus Yekeryan in Bong –Edited by Winston W. Parley
