By Olimatou Coker
The Gambia Red Cross Society in collaboration with SolHEALTH and UB-ONE under the healthcare support and strengthening project has over the weekend handed over a borehole worth over 1.7 million dalasis in Brikama URR.
The initiative is in line with United Nations SDGs particularly Goal 6.
Alasana Senghore, the Secretary General of the Gambia Red Cross Society, said this project is meant to ease the issue of water shortage in the communities but most especially on women who normally go through a lot to get water for their family.
“We invested over 1.7 million dalasi in this entire project in Brikama here; the tank is 15.000 liters storage capacity for the 3 tanks with 10 tap heads”.
Amadou Drammeh, SolHEALTH and UB-ONE country project manager, said they partnered with GRCS to make this water project successful.
He added that this is geared towards complementing the government’s efforts. “Because we know that the government cannot do it alone”.
He also urged the community members to take ownership of these boreholes by always contributing to maintenance of the taps in case there is a need for it.
Alhagie Sanyang, the alkalo of Brikama, thanked the Gambia Red Cross Society, SolHEALTH and UB-ONE for helping them resolve the issues of water in their community
“This is the first of its kind for over 60 years now. Our village never has the chance to have clean drinking water. This is really an exciting moment and a great development to us as a village”.
He assured the donors that the borehole will be used for its rightful purpose.
Funeh Sanyang, president of the Village Water Committee, expressed delight over the water project.
“Before the coming of this project, we used to suffer a lot in getting water for our daily use”.
Jainaba Sajaw, the president of the Women Association of the village, said the project is very timely for them because they used to fetch water from an uncovered well and that is what they were using to cook their daily meals.
