Joy as CBN Ghana extends water projects to two communities
Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) Ghana, a Christian media organization neck-deep into charitable undertakings has handed over two hand-dug wells fitted with pumps to provide potable water to two communities in the Ayensuano district and Suhum municipality of the Eastern Region.
The beneficiary communities are Owusukrom in the Ayensuano district and Tetekasum in the Suhum municipality.
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The latest donations bring to 40 the number of pump-fitted wells donated by CBN in the month of August 2018 alone, and 120 in all since August last year. Each fitted well is estimated at about $2,500 and presently wholly funded through the generous support of Club 700 International partners.
For residents of the two settler farming communities, the provision of a source of potable water was a dream come true and a permanent solution to their perennial search for water for domestic purposes especially during the dry season.
At Owusukrom, while acknowledging that three outlying streams had been their regular sources of water for all purposes, inhabitants said the streams dry up each year with the onset of the dry season. Neither the Anfam nor Sunsum Awu rivers is able to last the harsh conditions.
For Andrew Larbi Amoah, assemblyman for Amanfoso/Coaltar Electoral Area, his biggest joy stems from the fact that the scourge of water borne diseases that have bedeviled inhabitants of the farming communities will soon be over.
He had not enough gratitude to CBN for locating his people, mainly farmers of cocoa, cassava, maize and yam and handing them ‘the precious gift’ of water so they no longer have to step into their source of water with their animals.
Farmer and an elder of the community, Doe Adjetey, 64, was equally besides himself with appreciation to CBN Ghana, saying he and his people can now look to an all year round availability of water.
Similar scenes played out at Tetekasum where a large gathering witnessed the final moments of the construction and the first drawing of water out of the pump.
A chief of the community, Nana Gyau – Tetekasum Mankrado; 57-year-old farmer Richard Asare Lartey; and Madam Theresa Yeboah, 73 who sells ‘pure water’, took turns to offer gratitude for the gesture.
According to Olusola Oyesola - National Director - CBN Ghana, the organisation’s works span seven regions of the country. Needy communities apply to CBN for assistance and based on a needs assessment profiling of the applicant communities, the projects are cited and constructed at the most viable and beneficial sites.
Olusola Oyesola - National Director - CBN Ghana
“CBN bears the entire cost of the projects except for the provision of sand and stones by the beneficiary communities. They offer that component as a way of making them the real owners of the pumps. In this way they share in the management and maintenance of their facility together with the assemblies and their leadership.”
CBN’s water projects are in the Greater Accra, Central, Eastern, Volta, Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions, but Oyesola said the mission is to spread out across the country and that the plan is on course.
“We preach Christ along with helping the people meet some of their basic life’s requirements like water and health and their appreciation is simply encouraging for us to continue to do more. We want to impact as many lives as possible, especially when you see that these simple acts spread love and broaden their smiles. It is like lifting a heavy load off someone’s shoulders”, said Olusola Oyesola.
CBN Ghana was recently at Asukawkaw in the Jasikan area of the Volta Region with a health outreach programme where about 7,000 inhabitants and adjoining communities were screened and treated for various ailments.
Said Olusola Oyesola, "CBN has been in Ghana for some years now and we are impacting lives through our water projects. Between August 2017 and July 2018 we have dug 120 wells in 120 different villages providing potable water for the use of our people. Part of the project we are also embarking on is medical missions and we are also involved in cleft and palate surgeries. We also offer scholarships for underprivileged children and we are currently sponsoring 52 students from primary to secondary and tertiary levels. Our desire is to do more, we want to grow in our operations, we want to do more in our production of programmes to the TV stations, we want to grow more in our humanitarian activities and we can only do that through the generous support and donation of everyone who will be glad to join forces with us.”