LOT Water Project, the brainchild of United States-based Innocent Hadebe, has added two more solar-powered boreholes in Bulawayo’s Luveve high-density suburb to alleviate water challenges bedevilling residents.
Ten of the boreholes were drilled in schools, starting with Luveve suburb where at least 13 residents succumbed to diarrhoea in 2020 following an outbreak of the waterborne diseases.
United States’ Mike Hazelton, who is the funder of the project, has so far sponsored the drilling of 13 solar-powered boreholes in the city.
Speaking during the handing over of the boreholes in Luveve, Hazelton said he was humbled by the impact the project was having on the residents.
“I understand some schools would close due to water challenges. That really touched my heart and how thankful they (school authorities) are which is totally unexpected because this is a way for me and my family to give back to communities,” he said.
“I am very thankful for me to be able to be here in Zimbabwe on site to see the impact that the project is having on the communities here, it has been such a blessing to us.”
Hadebe said the devastating 2020 diarrhoea outbreak pushed him to look for partners to assist residents.
“I tried as much as possible to bring a solution to the water crisis especially after that sad incident where people lost their lives because of water-borne diseases,” he said.
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“We had to pool the resources together with the Hazelton family to support this noble cause and I am glad for the support that we have been receiving from the schools and community.”
Luveve Member of Parliament Descent Bajila hailed the initiative.
“This emphasises to us the importance of the diaspora to our development as a people and as individual communities,” Bajila said.
“This teaches us a lot that as communities, we should reduce the toxicity of politics from development and remember that this good development has nothing to do with politics, but about people remembering the communities that they come from.
“We hope that other Zimbabweans based in the diaspora will also remember their respective communities so that we can assist each other and pull our communities up.”
Bulawayo city fathers have called on the government to declare the city a water crisis area to open doors for funding for short to medium-term interventions to alleviate the challenge.
But the government is yet to accede to the request.
Government is, however, failing to fully fund the rehabilitation and drilling of more boreholes in the city.
