RuralFocus Initiative (RFI) in partnership with UK FOR DMB, a UK-based group affiliated with Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumiah, have constructed a mechanized borehole for the pupils of SDA Basic School in Banso, a farming community in the Ahanta West Municipality of the Western region. This is to help solve an age-old lack of potable water for school children.
One of the pupils complained; “since I started this school, this is the water we’ve been drinking. Even when we’re in class, we won’t have any water and we have to wait for the teacher to finish before we come here to fetch water”.
Mac-David Tecco teaches at Banso SDA Basic School. He says having seen the nature of the source of drinking water for the kids, he decided to alert RuralFocus Initiative for help.
“This was the source of water that we have been using for the past years since I came to this school. And I realized where we have been drinking was bad, so I decided to speak to Mr. Kojo Brace and his team so that they can help the school,” he said.
The Project Coordinator of RFI, Richard Bentum explains since the problem falls within their area of focus, they embarked on a mission to get them a mechanized borehole.
“RuralFocus Initiative is a non-governmental organization, and our aim is to empower the less privileged. So few months ago, we had a call from the school and our team visited for a conversation to understand their problem.
“Actually this wasn’t part of our agenda, but throughout our conversation, we were made to understand that the lack of potable water was a serious problem for the school. They took us to the place where they used to fetch water, and it was almost a dried-up stream.
In fact, we were very sad, so we decided to construct a borehole for them,” he explained.
He says with about 90 per cent of the funding support from the UK FOR DMB, a group affiliated with Vice President Dr. Mahumudu Bawumiah, a mechanized borehole has been constructed for the school.
“So we took to social media to solicit funds, and a group of people based in the UK; UK FOR BAWUMIAH, came to or aide to support us, and today with the majority of funding from their end, it is so refreshing to see these young kids having access to potable water,” he said.
The Headmistress of the school, Madam Catherine Yalley said this would bring a huge relief to the school.
“Because previously the children have been going into the community to fetch water from the borehole, and during break time, the children will go and not come back early after the break.
“At times, when they don’t get water there, they go to the stream behind the school to fetch water, and that stream has germs that could cause the kids to fall sick. Now that we have this borehole I hope that the delay of kids returning from break each time will stop, and they will be healthy as well,” she explained.
She promised to ensure the regular maintenance of the facility.
“Myself, the SMC and PTA have pledged we will be able to maintain this borehole so that after 10 years, they will come and meet the same thing – new and neat – as it is today,” she stated.
The RuralFocus Initiative has set its sights on providing classroom and washroom infrastructure for Fasin MA Basic, another farming community in the municipality. Their target is to reach as many rural communities in Ghana as possible.
