By Patricia Conteh
Through its “Water for Welbody” initiative, Project 1808 Inc, in partnership with Strides for Africa, has on Tuesday 22nd October 2024, unveiled the 4th hand pump water well facility in the northern Koinadugu District.
The well is located at Karako Sukurala Village in the outskirts of Kabala, the district headquarters town. The seven meters deep hand dug well is expected to cater to about 2,000 residents within the community.
Chief Musa Marah, Town Chief for Karako Sukurala, thanked Project 1808 and Strides for Africa and other partners involved for the initiative.
“We are happy for this development in our community, and we look forward to having more waterpoints facilities,” he said.
Mr. Alimamy Kallon, a stakeholder in the village, noted that Karako Sukurala is one of the oldest villages in the district, and that it has been experiencing a huge increase in its population. He noted that this increase in the population also increases the demand for access to clean drinking water.
“This water well will save a lot of lives in this community, because prior to this, the residents were mostly accessing surface water from streams, swamps or rain,” he stated.
Mr. Kallon disclosed that the Project 1808 and Strides for Africa constructed water well is the first facility that has been made for the usage of the general population in the communities within the village.
Christopher Jimieson, Founder of Strides for Africa, a non-profit organization based in Wisconsin, United States, during the unveiling ceremony stated that he was blown away by the energy shown by the community in appreciation for the water well.
“We appreciate the opportunity to conduct impactful work in Kabala. The people are special here in this region of powerful mixtures and to hear from the Chief that this will save lives in his community really touched me,” he said.
Jimieson committed his organization to facilitating the construction of more safe drinking water well facilities in the district.
Dr. Alhaji Umar Njai, Founder and Chief Strategist of Project 1808, said the goal of his organization is to transform Kabala in Koinadugu District through access to clean water, quality education and overall making a difference in the lives of its residents and beyond.
“I am happy to work with partners that align with this vision or goal of positively impacting the people of Koinadugu and beyond,” he said, adding: “Embarking on or facilitating projects that would bring positive transformation to the lives of both young and old people in the district is a top tier achievement for me personally,”
The Karako Sukurala water well project was funded by Diane and Steve Streck, USA based philanthropists who support the work of Project 1908 and Stride for Africa in West Africa. The unveiling was also witnessed by the Founder of Feeding Mouths, Filling Minds (FMFM), Maria Nicholas Groves and her team, which is also a non-profit sister organization that has been part of the transformative journey with a key focus on agriculture.
