WaterAid provides 108 boreholes in Plateau communities
An international charity non-governmental organization (NGO), that transforms lives by improving access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation, otherwise known as WaterAid has provided 108 boreholes in Bokkos, Kanke and Pankshin Local Government Areas of Plateau State within the span of five years.
Speaking during the Commissioning and Handing over Ceremony of two blocks of boys and girls friendly institutional toilets and one hand pump borehole in Government Secondary School Masharkut in Bokkos yesterday, the Programme Coordinator, Community Based Development (CBD), Mrs Von Shom said a total of 593 Water Sanitation Committees and Water Consumers Associations were formed and trained with 99 Artisans also trained with tools and kits provided for basic maintenance of the water facilities across wards to ensure sustainability.
In his part, the Head of Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene Unit Bokkos, Mr. Atang Sambo said nearly 60million people in Nigeria (31% of the population) lacks access to improved water source and over 130million people (71% of the population) lack access to basic sanitation, adding that over 45million (25% of the population) practice open defecation and around 45,000 children under the age of five die from diseases caused by the nation’s poor levels of access to safe water, basic sanitation and improved hygiene.
Elated in the gesture provided by WaterAid, the School Principal GSS Masharkut in Bokkos, Mr. Malau Zakka, said before now the school only has a water well source which is virtually open and contaminated.
He said the water becomes more contaminated as even as herdsmen uses the water well to feed their cattle when the school premises is deserted after school hours.
“Now that we have first class borehole, my students don’t fall ill as often, because the water is safe from contamination.
“With the built modern latrine, there is also improvement in health challenges as we were using pit toilets before now which also made students and teachers to embark on open defecation”, the school Principal said.
WaterAid Nigeria is in partnership with Community Based Development, Plateau Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (PRUWASSA), being funded by the Hong-Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) with a five years mandate to provide sanitation facilities in pro-poor communities in Nigeria.
