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“Water is as much about social welfare, as it is about education. The availability of suitable water at the school and in the centre of the village, where the pumps and troughs were installed, ensures that children do not have to walk long distances in the dry season to collect water and, therefore, have more time available to concentrate on their schoolwork”, said Dr Sue Snyman, Children in the Wilderness (CITW) Programme Director.
Snyman and Petros Guwa, Toka Leya General Manager, regularly meet with the village headmen and school’s Parent Teachers’ Association (PTA) to address the community’s priority needs and identify sustainable projects to improve the lives of Sinde’s inhabitants. According to Snyman, “It is extremely rewarding working with the Sinde community as they are wonderful people who are proactively involved in working together to better the lives of everyone in the village. When we were building the water troughs, people from the village came to assist as the project benefits the whole village.”
Sinde village is situated approximately 30 minutes’ drive from Toka Leya Camp and guests are given the opportunity of experiencing a village tour, which includes visiting the pre-school, village centre, local shop, a homestead and Twabuka Community School, guided by a local village guide. Dave and Sally Pearson and Dennis Manalo generously funded the solar pump and two water tanks that were installed at Twabuka Community School. The solar pump and two water tanks installed in the centre of Sinde village were funded by Marci and Sree Kotay and Matt and Kay Franks, all guests who had experienced the village tour.
Drainage and water troughs were also built at both sites and the water gathered at the school will be used for its vegetable garden to supplement the government feeding scheme and to sell any excess produce to raise money for the school. An electric fence will also be erected around the vegetable garden and Snyman and Guwa will be providing training related to vermiculture and conservation agriculture in the coming months.
During her speech at the handover, the Headmistress of Twabuka Community School thanked Wilderness Safaris and Toka Leya for their ongoing partnership and said that the installation of the solar pump and water tanks was indeed a blessing and very exciting for the schoolchildren. “Our pupils can now draw water from a tap just like children in urban areas. The availability of water will make it possible for the school to run most of its projects, such as gardening, tree planting and greening the school. Before, the borehole used to run dry by the third term which affected our students’ attendance. But now that is a story of the past. Indeed, Wilderness Safaris, Toka Leya, you are our everyday partners; thank you.”
Article by: Wilderness Safaris
