…as 300 boreholes in the Nama area potentially need rehabilitation in the next 10 years
At the beginning of this month, the German Embassy together with the local NGO Maltahöhe CommonWaters Organisation signed a grant agreement to finance the rehabilitation of existing boreholes in the area of Maltahöhe in the Hardap Region.
N$832,000 (approx. 49,500. EUR) will be made available for the refurbishing of 12 boreholes that were identified by the organization.
Borehole rehabilitation helps farming communities
The allocated funds are a combination of resources from the micro project fund of the German Embassy Windhoek, together with additional Covid-19 immediate relief funds of the German Government. Since many communities in the traditional Nama area in the south of the country are still struggling with the aftermath of the pandemic, this project will serve entire communities with much needed water supply. It will help the community members, especially with upholding their farming, which means the people no longer have to drive the cattle miles from their homestead to find water. It can even serve as possibility for gardening and thus provide a more diverse diet for the local people.
The rehabilitation of the boreholes with solar technology means that each water point will be fitted with a solar water pump and panels, as well as tanks and pipes for drinking water supply for humans and animals.
Skills transfer and financial planning
In addition to refurbishing the boreholes, each water point will set up a so called “water point committee”, which will provide training and education as a “skills transfer” to the users of the water posts. The training will also entail a financial literacy module to encourage the setup of financial reserves with small personal contributions by the community members. These “water cent concepts” which can be used to secure later repairs, if necessary, will certainly strengthen the commitment of each beneficiary towards the maintenance of the respective boreholes.
The commitment of the organization together with the community members is unmatched. After less than two weeks of the initial disbursement, the first borehole was repaired and updated and is fully functioning. The community of Farm Kleinfontein, about 70 km southwest of Maltahöhe, is the first beneficiary and delighted to finally have a functioning water supply on the farm.
The communities are very thankful and are now looking forward to benefit from the program. Here is their take on the project implementation:
Alwina Witbooi, Aneis water post: “Nowadays I’m mostly in Mariental, because I can’t do much here. We lost almost all animals in the drought and there is not enough water here. If we can get water now and I can get back to my job and plant a garden, then I can stay here and not have to live in the city.”
Simon Kooper, Rietkuil water post: “I used to always grow vegetables and sell them until our pump broke a few years ago. We haven’t had any water since then and have to fetch it from far away. My garden has been fallow and dry for more than two years and I can’t do anything. It would be wonderful if we had water again, I would start reviving my garden right away.”
Titus Frederick, Kleinfontein water post: ,,For 22 years we always had too little water for our life here on the farm. Sometimes we couldn’t even give water to the animals every day and they suffered a lot and were unproductive. Now we finally have water and can live a safe and happy life without the constant worry and the miles of hiking to the neighbors for water. It has always been an issue and lately we would have many disputes about it. Now we have our own water.”
Ella Bikeur, Daweb water post: “We’ve had a really hard time in the last two years. We had to carry all the water for the animals and for us, carrying hundreds of liters of water every day. That got us down and was terribly exhausting and tedious. Now we have water at our post and our goats can drink whenever they want. We are very happy and infinitely grateful to the sponsors of this project that we were seen and that we were helped.”
Chris Swartbooi, Maltahöhe Townlands water post: “Water is everything; it is the foundation of life. What you are doing here, giving people access to water so they can live without this worry, is wonderful and gives hope and opportunity.”
Project partners:
“Maltahöhe CommonWater Organisation” was created for the purpose of securing water as a livelihood for local communities in need in the traditional Nama area. The founder of the NGO, Mr. Guido von Wietersheim and most of its members were born in the area and are still living there. Their strong bond to the Nama people makes it their utmost intent together with the communities to fight the water insecurity in the traditional Nama area in the south of the country.
There are a total of 453 boreholes in the traditional Nama area, of which 300 are potentially in need of rehabilitation in the next 10 years. The support needed for this project is huge.