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Dem. Rep. of Congo, Africa

DRC08b - ACLUP Water Projects

• View report dated: November 30, 2022

• View report dated: February 16, 2023

• View report dated: June 6, 2023

• View report dated: February 15, 2024

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Report Date: June 27, 2022

Water Project Report from ACLUP

We thank the Almighty Lord for giving us this opportunity to bring together this report to present the achievements of ACLUP. Initially, our organization had proposed two projects, namely that of Bugoko and that of Nyakantuli. In practice, we had agreed on the two sources. But during the days that followed, we had a call from Pastor Bezo Balezi, who alerted us to the case of a 14-year-old girl who had gone to draw water from the source called Nshalalo where unfortunately, following a slip in the gutter, she was dragged by the rainwater and her body has never been found until today. Pastor Balezi asked us to come and see this drama that happened. When we arrived on the ground, the population was frightened and stressed by this situation and asked us to intervene as quickly as possible because, according to them, many other children were in danger. Because we had been affected by the situation, we decided to change the priority and instead of building in Bugoko, we opted for Nshalalo where the project quickly started.

Glory to the Lord, the two water projects have been completed to the delight of the populations of our two respective sites. The population of Nshalalo and Nyamudahwa are very satisfied and very happy. Moreover, a prayer has been organized to implore God to bless the organizations (Bright Hope World and ACLUP) which have installed water in the municipality. We pray to God that BHW can come and visit these works which are the joy of the population.  

Nshalalo Project

History

The origin of the word Nshalalo comes from the word from Mashi called "Source", as the water springs. Nshalalo is in the Kanoshe district, on Luganda Avenue in the municipality of Kasha. This part is resided by more than 2,000 households reaching more than 15,000 people. For a long time, this source gushed water which was drawn by some households of the district. Due to insecurity in rural villages in the province of South Kivu, many people moved to the city and settled around this source. This source was also the cause of water-related diseases because the water was collected on the ground without any standard of hygiene. But, despite this constraint, the population gathered in large numbers around this source in search of this rare resource. Next to Nshalalo is the population of Nyarwizimya 7 kilometres away and that of Kanoshe 5 kilometres away.

Not only did this water cause health problems since it was drawn from the ground, but also, there is the population of Nyarwizimya who had to cross the Wesha river. During the floods, the people could not cross to come to the side of Nshalalo to seek water.

Note that the only source of Nshalalo supplies water to an entire population of more than 15,000 inhabitants and therefore, the craze was observed every day around this source. According to the various reports collected from local authorities; there were many conflicts between the populations, the women and girls tore their clothes because of disagreements on the priorities of those who should have water first. We saw with our own eyes that the population made a kind of funnel to draw water from the hole to the containers that everyone brought. Each time, we kept registering injuries, following the fight that arose overnight. 

Construction

We had started the work with meetings with local leaders who made it easier for us to mediate with the owners of the plots. In one of the fields where there was a lot of water, the owner (a lady) laid down a lot of conditions. She wanted us to buy her field before building on it, but thanks to the people, the local leaders; she managed to ease her conditions, which allowed us to move forward with the work. This is how the works were able to start on April 18th until May 11th 2022 when the tank was finished.

During the works, we encountered problems related to the accessibility of the place where the water collection had taken place. It is around the households, where there are no roads, and then it is on a slope.

Since the source was frequented often by the population; at the beginning it caused us a lot of problems to find where this population should get its drinking water. This constraint led us to work hard so that we produced in a considered time the work to serve the population.

From the image right, you will see in what difficulty the population is. Of the 15,000 inhabitants of the place, there is no road or servitude. It was therefore difficult to draw this water, first because it was in the valley without servitude, but then also in very bad conditions.

By building, ACLUP has planned that even the population that is stuck more than 100 meters away can also access drinking water. Thus, a tank of 8 cubic meters was placed and 8 taps were installed on the tank.

Since the place to build the tank is swampy; we first built a reinforced concrete slab on which the tank was well seated. As you observe on this tank; 4 taps are placed on this side and 4 others are placed on the other side. Alongside this, we installed two other taps 120 meters away on a well-appointed draw-off point (below left).

This draw point has reduced the enthusiasm for the tank so much. From now on, the combat which was observed around the tank, is not there anymore. The population feels proud that the water is installed on this point.

As this is not enough, we placed another tap 300 meters from the tank, to serve the people who live on the other side of the Wesha River (below middle). This population used to cross the river to come and draw water from Nshalalo but now a tap is installed so that this population remains safe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We can also mention that the woman owner of the plot where we had installed the filter had given a condition so that she also had her own tap. We installed it in her concession and she and her neighbours draw water from this place.

At Nshalalo we have therefore installed 12 taps, with pipe extensions, but we always felt that the people who come from afar should have an extension of the pipes.

We mention that in Nshalalo the job was very well done. However, there is a population residing within a distance of 3 kilometres and everyone was suggesting that water be served to them by laying down pipes. During the realization of this project, many activities increased and the financial means were limited to us so we could not buy these pipes to extend the water towards other populations which wanted it.

In conclusion, the population of Kanoshe, Luganda, Wesha, Nyarwizimya, are very happy with this project which came to save a situation which was formerly catastrophic. Thanks to the servants of God, funded by Bright Hope World, today the population consumes clean water. The population says thank you very much.

 

Nyakantuli Project 

Our second site is that of Nyamudahwa. We thank the Lord for giving us the grace to begin and complete the work assigned to us. At Nyamudahwa we started shortly after the start of the Nshalalo site. It was from 25th April 2022 that we opted to start after having been in contact with local leaders and scheduling several meetings on the protection of the work that was planned.

Construction

The work started with the catchment of water on the site. After having the experience of Nshalalo, we also opted to carry out collection and adduction so that we distribute this water to many households which were suffering. As already indicated at the outset during the project study, the Nyamudahwa site supplies the population of Mushekere, Cikonyi and Cibandihwe estimated at more than 1,200 households. So, we chose the approach of collecting water in a tank and then distributing it to households. We purchased pipes of more than 2,000 meters in order to serve all the parties concerned.

At the beginning the catchment was carried out and very close to the catchment we installed a place of drawing with two taps. To help this population near Mushekere to come and draw water, we built the first wooden bridge very close to the drawing place.

For this filter, it was built in 6 meters of the hole. As this is a very dangerous place, we used a system of pouring a kind of reinforced concrete below the system to protect this catchment against any kind of landslide or destruction by rainwater.

Bridge number 1 was built and now it has facilitated the passage of the populations of two districts (Mushekere and Cibandihwe). From the source to the place where the tank was built, we were able to use plastic pipes for a distance of 700 meters.

For reasons that the Nyamudahwa site has also undergone modifications (instead of building only the tank as initially planned, we built water points with purchased pipes) so we reduced the capacity of the tank and we built 6 cubic meters because other water points are available. This tank has 4 taps, because people can draw from other drawing places.

The bridge is placed 5 meters from where Nyamudahwa's tank is placed. The purpose of the bridge is to take the population from Mushekere Center to go to Cikonyi. Its usefulness is double because it is the only way for people to go to the Centre of Health of Mulezi in Mushekere. Unfortunately, we were not going to be able to build the tank without building the bridge over which the population will pass. Not long ago, two men on a motorbike fell into this hole and were seriously injured. ACLUP therefore built this bridge to reduce the risk of children falling through this bridge with water cans.

We report that the population was very happy to see that this bridge was rebuilt. Good quality planks as well as very good quality tree trunks have been placed. From now on, traffic becomes very fluid on this bridge.

After the construction of the tank, the water was extended down 1,300 meters to allow other people to enjoy the happiness that ACLUP and Bright Hope World have brought to the people. These taps are operated by the southern population of Mushekere and that of Nyakantuli and part of Cikonyi. Next to these taps there is also another bridge to once again serve the populations of this environment.

Synthesis

At Nyamudahwa, God gave us grace. We had planned a job that speaks for itself. Our work was twofold: to build hydraulic installations and to build ponds. Thus, on the drinking water side, we have placed a drawing place with 2 taps north of Nyamudahwa, 4 taps on the tank placed in the center of Nyamudahwa, and 4 taps on the drawing place which is also south of Nyamudahwa; a total of 10 taps that operate 24 hours a day to serve the population. For our second part of the job, we have placed three well-constructed wooden bridges in Nyamudahwa (1 in the north, 1 in the center and 1 in the south).

 

Conclusion

We thank the benefactors who continue to lend us a hand in the realization of our activities. On behalf of the population and local authorities who have assisted us a lot, we say thank you very much to Bright Hope World. We stay together every day in the chain of prayer and hope together that our Lord Jesus Christ will bless the hands that offer for the people in need. May the Lord bless everything you touch. However, we have some further requirements to bring to you:

1) We were carried away by the cries of the population of Luganda in Nshalalo which did not allow us to go and carry out our project in Bugoko. However, we are requesting the funds for Bugoko to also go and carry out his project.

2) You have seen that we could not lay pipes to supply the rest of the populations of Nshalalo, so that all can be served and even for Nyamudahwa. We seek support to buy the pipes to enable us to reach those we didn’t cover. It is possible to extend pipes to their different quarters. 

3) We have several areas where water is a problem; we ask BHW to finance other projects in various entities and churches where Christians suffer enormously to have water.