Access to clean water in DRC

Nemba and Sebele are villages in the areas of Baraka/Fizi and South Kivu in DRC. Both villages have difficulty accessing clean water. In response to this problem, the Help a Child programme put in place a photovoltaic well tap to provide relief for the inhabitants.

A photovoltaic well system consists of an electric motor pump under a system of solar panels producing energy that turns the motor to bring water up from eight metres underground to the reserve tank, where it is piped to the two standpipes that provide access to clean water in the community.

Munyonge Rachid, President of the Water Committee of Nemba, demonstrates the newly constructed well. “This well is of great importance to us. Before we put this well in place, the people of Nemba and Sebele used to get water from this same place; however, it was an open hole and very risky. To draw water, you had to put rope on a container, plunge it into the hall until water is reached and then bring it back to the surface. Most of the time these containers gave way and fell in, and the inhabitants lost a lot of things inside which caused the water to change colour and resulted in constant sickness amongst our habitants. Now we are so grateful to have access to clean water for everyone.”