Habakkuk Trust has resuscitated 23 borehole pumps and trained 25 pump minders in Mangwe in a bid to mitigate the effects of drought in the district.
Habbakuk Trust chief executive Dumisani Nkomo told NewsDay on Wednesday the programme started in April.
“We have been working with the communities in Mangwe for the past four years and identified the issue of water as a big issue,” he said.
“We approached the Ministry of Water Resources and Development and other organisations, but finally we made a call to the Australian Embassy and the embassy helped us to rehabilitate 23 boreholes in Mangwe.”
Nkomo said the rehabilitation of boreholes took three months to complete.
“That has helped communities there as some had broken-down boreholes, which were not being repaired and people had to walk long distances for water,” he said.
“This meant that children would be late for school as they had to get the water first and this also affected women who usually do this chore.
“We are also securing for the community some kits for pump minders we have helped to train to maintain the boreholes.”
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Nkomo said the areas that benefited from the rehabilitation programme were Valukhalo, Mahlabazihlangane and Phakamani.
“Some of these areas have had no intervention for the past 32 years in terms of water,” he said. “We started working in the area in 2007, but it has mostly been on governance and advocacy.”
Australian Ambassador Matthew Neuhaus told NewsDay the embassy was impressed with Habakuk’s work in Mangwe.
“The pumps have been rehabilitated in time for the dry season which is important,” he said. “I am very impressed by what Habakkuk Trust is doing.
“As the Australian government, we do not look at one area to assist but we look at where we think there is real need at specific times and so this one was put to us and we could see the real need there.”
