When water stations change the daily lives of communities in the Far North.
It’s a sunny morning in Kodek and the District Medical Center (CMA) looks beautiful with its exceptional cleanliness. It owes this look to a well-equipped solar powered water pumping system installed in the yard of this health facility. “ I suffered a lot when there wasn’t that water point. To clean the hospital, I had to go to a manually operated borehole, queue up and try to collect water through a dozen buckets before carrying them. Since this water point became functional here, all I have to do is open one of the taps and in a short while, the whole hospital is washed. “ says Siddi Mana, the president of the Health Committee.
For so long the community of Kodek has suffered from the lack of water in the health facilities and in schools. When woman came to put to birth or follow up on prenatal visits, water has always been a precious commodity. Even in the hospital ward, clean water is essential. Regarding laboratory services, hygiene services, clean water is also a mandatory element. At the school level, many pupils usually trek for long distances to have access to water. This lack of hydration makes them tired while in school which decreases their concentration during lessons resulting to many of them staying at home as a preference.
Moreover, many communities still suffer from thirst in this region, which is one of the most exposed to climate change, added to problems of distribution and lack of drinking water. In some localities of Logone and Chari, Mayo Sava and Mayo-Tsanaga, women and children are forced to go to the border of Nigerian to get water from the pools, exposing themselves to attacks such as rape, physical assault and abduction by armed groups.
According to a report by UNICEF and MINSANTE published in December 2020, in the Far North region, about 122 health facilities do not yet have a water point, compared to 99 in the North region. There are also dozens of schools and villages without water points.
To respond to this situation, UNICEF implemented an initiative of Autonomous Water Stations equipped with solar systems. This initiative has been very beneficial to the community in many ways as compared to the previous water points build in the community.
The CMA of Kodek, located in the Far North region is one of the seven health facilities of this community as well as the local schools that have benefitted from the construction of ten water points equipped with a solar pumping system, 4 containers with a total capacity of 12m3, 2 standpipes with 4 taps and the connection of buildings with internal water circuit. These works, which cost about USD 22,000, are a result of funding from UNICEF and its partners.
To express his joy, Désiré a worker at the CMA compares the current situation to the ordeal he was going through without this Autonomous Water Station. Especially at the maternity service level.
“Even those who are connected to the water company are suffering here. When there is a power cut, the water supply cuts right after. You dig a well in the neighborhood, the well dries up after a few months. Imagine the importance of this water point that works with the sun. We heartily thank the donors and ask UNICEF to continue to help other people, other health facilities and schools who are still suffering from thirst, especially with the dry season approaching” By continuing to invest, lives are saved”. Said Hamadou Djidda, a neighborhood resident who observes with great cheerfulness.
“Looking at the children of this school, during the heat wave, many could queue up in front of the borehole until the end of recess. Others could enter the rooms without having drank water. But with this Autonomous Water Station, all children are served in record time.” Hamadou added.
Moreover, he pleads on behalf of those in other communities who are still in danger of thirst, those who lose their lives on the water route, those who have no choice but to drink water of doubtful quality, with the string of diseases that accompanies them for UNICEF and its partners to come to their aid.
For the time being, the joy of Sidi Mana and some beneficiary communities in the region and especially their commitment to the good management of the structure are indescribable.
