ChildFund
in collaboration with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
(BMZ) on Saturday held the closing ceremony of a D14 million water and
sanitation project at Mayork Senior Secondary School in Foni Bondali.
In
November 2014, ChildFund Deutschland e.V received a grant from BMZ to
co-finance a two-year project titled ‘Building capacity for sustainable access
to potable water and hygiene standards in 17 remote villages of West Coast
Region of The Gambia’.
According
to the project officials, the project constructed four new wells, erected pipe
extensions with stand pipes in six villages, installed one new solar pump
system for a borehole in one village, and supplied 18 water filters to villages
and public institutions.
The
project also conducted series of capacity building activities on pump operation
and management, water hygiene and sanitation in the intervention villages and
schools.
Ello
Jallow, permanent secretary, Ministry of Environment, said the ministry enjoys
“good working relations” with ChildFund in many areas, especially in the area
of information sharing and quality control.
He
commended the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation for complementing
the efforts of The Gambia government in providing safe drinking water, sanitary
facilities and hygiene promotion messages to the rural population.
Dr
Werner Kuepper, programme director of ChildFund Deutschland e.V, expressed
delight over another “successfully implemented major programme” on water and
sanitation in the western region of The Gambia.
Anita
Martin, representative of the German Embassy to The Gambia, said water is a
priority area of the German development cooperation.
She
said Germany aims to provide 30 million people in sub-Saharan Africa with
access to improved water and sanitation services.
“The
right to water is a human right and Germany therefore helps its partner
countries to implement this right,” she said.
Mrs
Martin said since 2011, when they started to implement the first project on
water in The Gambia, they have provided better access to drinking water for
30,000 Gambians.
“The
second project which is just completed will provide sustainable access to
potable water and hygiene standards for another additional 12,000 habitants in
17 villages,” she said.
Martin
hailed their partner, ChildFund, for the transparency and commitment they
showed towards the swift successful completion of the project.
The
project manager, Ellen Schiller, said the completion of the project marks the
availability of clean drinking water directly to 13 communities in West Coast
Region thereby reducing water borne diseases like diarrhoea.
Through
the project, five schools and two health centre are provided with water and
hard to reach small villages are also provided water filters, ‘paul’.
She
said natives of the beneficiary villages were trained on the proper maintenance
of the facilities.
Pa
Landing Colley, a representative of the beneficiaries, said the facilities
would be put into good use.
He
commended the project management, ChildFund Gambia and Deutschland, and the
Germany government for making the project a success.
