By: Annakleta Haikera
Mashare constituency regional council has approved a water pipeline project for two villagers, Shighuru and Neyuva, with villagers volunteering to dig holes for pipes to access clean water.
Challenges to access clean water are experienced by many in the Kavango East and West regions, where the Kavango river has been a primary source of water, but inhabitants have to fend off crocodiles to access it.
The water project at Shiguru is taking momentum. The locals at the village are excited to have drinking water that will come from the river, which will then be purified.
Residents say this is happening for the first time after 32 years of independence. Communities will be able to have access to clean water to drink. The water will be from a running tap system. More than 60 people in the village this past week showed up to put in effort and volunteered by digging water pipes to the school. The pipeline will soon be extended to their homesteads.
Meanwhile, some communities, such as Neyuva village, are happy about the development. Muyambo Eberhard is one of those. He told The Villager that he is not afraid to volunteer and dig up holes to be able to lay pipes so his family can have access to clean water.
“We have been using water from the river for a long time now. Year after year, there are a lot of human-animal conflicts in this village. Thus this project will bring water closer to the community. With this new development, I am positive that we will soon have taps at the nearby school and our homesteads. As you can see, the pipes lines will benefit more than 19 homes at the villages, both from the West and East of Neyuva village. Those that won’t get now will be able to buy and obtain extra from others.”
The Mashare constituency councillor Filliphus Mavara said the constituency has encountered many problems with water from boreholes and the river.
“Now, people at the two villages will be able to have clean water that will be purified. The water will be extracted from the river and then purified, whereafter it will come to the school and communities. The project will only benefit the two villages, and some individuals at those villages are volunteering to dig holes for the pipes. The constructor of the project is a local person who is going to set up everything for the project, such as tanks, electricity, and machines. The water will be very clean for human consumption,” he said.
