31.01.2017

Clean Water Projects in Africa

“We believe that one of the greatest differences we can make in Africa is in providing sustainable access to clean water” says the CADELU President, Rev Bokombe Dennis. As you read the real life success stories below, you will understand why and how UEM and member churches undertakes water projects, and you will also discover how you can help to save and improve lives through the gift of clean water. In 2016 the UEM Co-worker in the Equateur Region of the Democratic Republic has successfully supervised water projects which serve more than 3.000 people. Please read the report below. Rev John Wesley Kabango, UEM Africa Department. A precious gift of water to the Equateur Region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. From the last May, two wells of clean water have been drilled to CADELU Mbandaka3 and CDCC Ikongowasa by the funds of UEM. The work has been implemented by W4D (a local team specialized in supplying population in clean water).  The main beneficiaries of this project are the church members, schools comprising more than 300 pupils and other people living around the two churches. For inquiring how this clean water has been received in the mind of the beneficiaries, we met some users of this project and learnt many thinks, especially from Siska Longo and Pastor Denis. In fact, Siska Longo is a lady, mother of three children. She lives around the parish of CADELU Mbandaka3, and then, she is a direct beneficiary of this project. She thinks that this water came to improve many lives in families but especially to make easier the daily works of women and children. Pictures: What did change?  Siska remembers and says: “before this clean well was drilled, we used to drink dirty water that we fetched from an open hole and sometimes we saw kind of small worms in it. Now, people are drinking clean water supplied from a protected and covered well”. That is why she hopes that “the rate of infections due to water will decrease in the families because it is now easy to drink clean water, to wash and to clean white closes without any fear…” This   hope allows her to be more confident when she expresses a new feeling: “we are really released from hard works and of water”. Regarding Pastor Denis, this water brought an additional value to the church and is contributing to the visibility and the viability of CADELU services.  He declares: “even when it is very hot on Sunday, we do not fear because we have a source of drinking water for all the attendees of   the services, as well as the pupils who study here.”   For the hygiene of the church, the pastor recognizes: “it is now easy to clean the church because women do no longer need to go far from here to collect water”. This well is also a gift for all the population and an expression of good willing of the church to the neighbors regardless their belief.   To confirm it, Denis adds: „We also share this water with surrounding population and this improves our relationship with them. I can say this water is a component of evangelization, a precious gift to CADELU Mbanda3 and to all the neighbors. We thank those who thought in favor of us.” Safari DésiréUEM-Coworker for CDCC and CADELU.