Adaklu Wayanu celebrates one year of clean water

The chiefs and people of Adaklu Wayanu, near Ho have held a community durbar in celebration of a year old mechanised borehole drilled for them by Center for Achievement (CFA) with its US partner, Pagus: Africa.

The wild celebration, characterised by cultural displays attracted sponsors of the facility from the US and Ho, where CFA is based.

The facility, which serves over 500 people in the farming community was initiated by young people from the community who are on CFA's "Path to Success" programme and tasked to identify community problems and propose sustainable solutions to address the challenge.

The borehole has a 1000 litre capacity poly tank, with four taps -two high and two low and said to have kept girls in schools and brought joy to homes. Madam Ellen Berenholz, Executive Director, Pagus:Africa, said her team was happy that over 500 people, mainly girls and women would no longer trek hours in search of potable water for domestic use.

She commended the community for ensuring cleanliness and safety at the borehole environment for that past 12 months and for the judicious use of money from the sale of the water.

Gladys Agbo, a resident at Wayanu said " ...I also have time to go to the farm now. We no longer quarrel over the only well in the community or need to wake up early and walk far distances and dig holes at the Waya stream for water in the dry season," a release signed by Madam Berenholz quoted her as saying.

Master Wisdom Akra, a student on CFA programme, said though he was not from the community, he was happy about the achievements of his colleagues and that it had strengthened his interest in community development.

Ms Terence Tienaah, Programme Director Pagus:Africa, said the organization was empowering under-served youth in the Volta Region to have hands on approach to tackling development issues in their communities.

She said the NGO had offered scholarships to some students and holding Easter Reading festival for pupils in the Ho Municipality to improve literacy.