The Sunday Mail
Lisa Shirichena
Religion Correspondent
THE Salvation Army has refurbished a solar-powered water reticulation system worth US$34 000 that will benefit two schools, a business centre and six villages in Shamva North.
The reticulation system at Madziwa Primary and Secondary schools is expected to address the community’s challenge in accessing safe drinking water.
At the handover ceremony, Madziwa councilor Gunzui Gwangwava commended the church for its intervention.
“I would like to express my gratitude to the church for their swift response to our plea for the resuscitation of the water project in Goora area. The project ceased to be operational 19 years ago. Since then life without safe drinking water became unbearable, until the Salvation Army Church came to our rescue.
“Due to inactivity, the water pump was vandalised, electricity disconnected and some underground pipes were destroyed,” he said. Mr Gwangwava said the church restored a new pump, connected electricity through nine solar panels and supplied new pipes.
Salvation Army territorial commander Commissioner Henry Nyagah said provision of safe water was the main thrust of the church’s involvement in the project. “Our implementation was within 10 months and we are happy to have finished it. Despite some challenges like vandalism of taps and pipes being stolen, today we witness this great achievement. This realisation came through your determination and involvement as the community and the expertise of the contractor,” he said.
Comm Nyagah encouraged the community to be responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the system.
“Through your leaders, you are supposed to maintain costs of the project so that you and the generations to come will continue to benefit from this water facility. We shall continue to work with you but it is your responsibility to safeguard this water facility from vandalism because without water life becomes unbearable,” he said.
