Access to water and reliable energy are key indicators for growth

… Madam Dana Hyde, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Millennium Challenge Corporation

By Mustapha Sesay

Sierra Leone

Accessing water supply and reliable energy are key indicators to enhance sustainable economic growth and development of any country, which is lacking in Sierra Leone, and remains a challenge.

This statement was made by Madam Dana Hyde, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) on Saturday 22^nd October, 2016 during her feasibility tour of water projects at different communities in the east end of Freetown. The CEO and entourage, inclusive private and private sector partners, in their assessment tour visited the Dockyard community water facility, the Moeba community Mambaridge water facility and also the Guma Valley dam where they met with community stakeholders. Prior to their community tour the team earlier on met with the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and other key stakeholders.

The corporation based in the USA had provided a grant of $44,4M as threshold program for Sierra Leone to support the development drive and strengthen the water sector in deprived communities and to access reliable energy.

The CEO said the grant is expected to address the delivery of electricity and water in Freetown, noting that it will also strengthen public regulation and accountability and create a framework for sustainable public and private investment in both of these sectors.

Talking to journalists at the Mambaridge (Moeba Community) School on the strides Sierra Leone as a nation is making, the MCC Boss said though there are rigid indicators, yet they are impressed with the on-going activities for reliable energy and access to clean water and opined that Sierra Leone will meet the indicators. Sierra Leone is making progress on the threshold program though there is more to do as the criteria are tough for a country to be selected as eligible for an MCC assistant.

Though the program is key to provide water to deprived communities, MCC also help in providing electricity for school going children to help them in their studies and improve on the energy sector, thereby helping hospitals to treat patients with better equipment.

At Ward 365 Constituency 102 Kissy Dockyard, Councilor Ibrahim Adissaya Kamara said the installation of the water facility by ACF in the community has helped greatly in the reduction of key menaces in the community and its environs like the reduction of Teenage pregnancy and prevention of illnesses. These two were serious challenges before now in the community and its environs that hold over ten thousand people, school children and women inclusive.

A suckling mother Rugiatu Tarawally said for six years the community had been without water.

Madam Koroma at the Mambaridge (Moeba Community), a caretaker of one of the installed water facilities, said people pay only one hundred Leones (Le100) per container and the proceeds used for the maintenance and payment of stipend to volunteer staff.     The team before coming to Sierra Leone had visited Ghana and Benin and has proceeded to Liberia.

           MCC Boss Dana Hyde (C) at Water facility site at Moeba Mambaridge

 

Western Rural District benefits from WASH Technology & Training Centre

Western Rural District benefits from WASH Technology & Training Centre

by Mustapha Sesay

Sierra Leone

WASH Technology and Training Centre with support from Welt Hunger Hilfe Foundation, EMAS and other partners have officially opened   the centre to the public at the Crossing Village in Western Rural District.   Officially opening the centre, representing the Ministry of Water Resources, the Director of Water Resources, Lamin K. Suma

SELF MADE HAND PUMPS

underscored the importance of the technology centre.  He said as a ministry, the WASH Technology Centre is their first child in the ministry since they have been established as a new ministry in charge of Water Resources.

He pointed out that for effective service delivery on WASH, people should be training at the centre in order to get the require skill to perform.  He added that this enhances creativity in providing WASH manual for household and vulnerable communities.

Director Suma cited the effective marketing of the centre’s initiative in providing such WASH technology in country and at international level. He encouraged other international partners in WASH, district and City councils, and other partners to come to their aid in strengthening capacity build of the management and the centre as a whole.  He pointed out that with such programs, a good number youth will change their mind set to development that can benefit the individual and the country as well.

Her said education can be done through skill training like WASH that can earn you income. He encouraged all present to put in practices activity that can sustain the centre.

in a conducted tour prior to the officially launching of the centre, the Project Head, WASH Self Supply Lahai E. Bunduka said the WASH technology and training centre is a scheme that enhance self made-hand pump, outlet pressure rating of 5 bars that is capable of raise water 60 meter vertical high and a distance pumping about 2km.  He said the center can also provide odorless toilet, shower room, storage tank, underground tanks, rain water harvesting and micro irrigation at cheaper rate.

In his statement, Dr Josef Fuchs from EMAS International expressed satisfaction over the effort made by the technical and the Project Head, WASH Self Supply Lahai E. Bunduka. He said the mandate and responsibility of EMAS is to ensure that people live a dignity life.  He encouraged people to work in collaboration in making ownership of the facility in their community. He said the centre will benefit generation yet unborn and therefore must be protected.

Dr Otten from Welt Hunger Welfe and the Director of Welt Hunger Welfe Ursula Langkamp commended the effort made by the management of the centre. He pledged more support to ensure that the center achives it intended purposes.

Other speakers who also expressed happiness over the center include the Crossing village chief and the representative from the Waterloo Rural District Council Deputy Chief Administration and Chief Alusine Fofanah respectively.

A comprehensive tour was done to get the human face of the facilities at the centre and for people to get a clear understanding about the uses, importance and benefit of those services at all level. Cutting of the tape climaxed the ceremony.