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-as UNDP commissions modern Solar-powered water facility worth over US$83K
Residents of Donfah Community in Yellequelleh Administrative District, Bong County, have a reason to celebrate as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has officially commissioned a solar-powered water facility valued at US$83,711.82 in the area.
This is a significant achievement with the inauguration of a modern solar-powered water facility that will serve more than 2,000 inhabitants. It promises to provide safe and clean drinking water, thus addressing longstanding health threats and other related waterborne diseases caused by reliance on contaminated water sources.
The official ceremony was well attended by government officials, community dwellers, elders, and youth groups, including women and children.
The ACDP (Accelerated Community Development Programme) is a flagship Programme co-funded by the Government of Liberia and the UNDP and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to address the real needs of the most vulnerable rural populations. Its implementation is expected to have an immediate impact on reducing poverty while accelerating socio-economic development in rural communities.
The program also aims to help strengthen human capital and resilience to shocks and pandemics, as well as facilitate and contribute to the implementation of the national development plan, the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID), and by extension to apply all efforts in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030.
Louis Kuukpen, the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative for Programme, urged residents in Donfah to use the water facility and promote reconciliation in their community, emphasizing the transformative impact of the facility. “This is not just about water; it’s about creating livelihood opportunities and fostering reconciliation within the community.”.
Mr. Kuukpen, addressing scores of inhabitants in Donfah, disclosed that each kiosk associated with the water facility will have business service windows, enabling women entrepreneurs to establish small businesses for the purpose of its maintenance.
The UNDP has also provided startup cash for two women to manage these kiosks. The modern infrastructure is built with a solar-powered system that ensures regular supply of clean water and includes a chlorination unit for purification.
This advancement is expected to reduce the vulnerabilities faced by women and children who previously traveled long distances for water, exposing them to potential violence.
According to Kuukpen, UNDP is committed to financial inclusion and access to digital financial services, promising collaboration with mobile money providers to support women operating the kiosks. He highlighted this achievement, one aimed at bolstering rural development in Liberia.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19UF3806axX8msxK36-544D1FJYBeOFww/view?usp=drive_link
Community leaders, including Chairlady Esther Giddings, expressed their gratitude, recognizing its potential to enhance the quality of life and committing to the facility’s upkeep. Yellequelleh District Commissioner, Boye Valcpeah Saclcie, called for the expansion of similar projects to other communities to further promote safety and hope in the region.
Bill Massaquoi is from the office of the Minister of State; he echoed the significance of the facility and urged the community to prioritize its maintenance. “This facility belongs to you; it’s now your responsibility to manage it effectively,” he stated.
The ceremony underscored UNDP’s ongoing efforts in Liberia, particularly through initiatives aimed at addressing the pressing needs of rural populations by investing in essential services like agriculture, water, health, and education.
As part of the events, over twenty farmers received certificates for completing training in tractor operations, thus further demonstrating the UNDP’s multifaceted approach to community development and empowerment.
The inauguration of the water facility marks a promising step towards improved living conditions and economic opportunities for the people of Donfah Bong County, illustrating the impact of collaborative efforts between the Government of Liberia and its international development partners.
To achieve the 2030 target, the government of Liberia and its partners, including UNDP, must prioritize and significantly improve water access for its citizens.
Notably, diarrhea, maternal disorders, neonatal disorders, malnutrition, and other water-borne diseases are among the top ten causes of death in Liberia, associated with poor access to safe drinking water. However, this effort by the UNDP is parallel to achieving the 2020 agenda of the UN.
A recent report from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UNICEF 2023 Joint Monitoring Programme Report on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) revealed that in Liberia, 76% of the 5 million population had access to basic water, with a collection time of not more than 30 minutes for a round-trip.
This left over 1.1 million people without access to basic drinking water. Target 6.1 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) specifically emphasizes the achievement of universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking
In the context of the government’s Agriculture, Roads, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation, and Tourism (ARREST) agenda, there has been a growing concern about the prioritization of WASH.
The government’s contribution to Water WASH is significantly low at merely 4.3 percent of the total sector allocation, and the balance is 95.7 percent met through donor funding.
The government in 2022 committed itself to supporting the ACDP through the provision of $100 million USD for the first three years, but to date it has only contributed an initial amount of $3 million USD.
The Programme so far has invested a huge portion of the initial $3 million USD into procuring agriculture machinery and equipment valued over $700 thousand USD and deployed them with over 12 beneficiary cooperatives across fourteen communities in six counties, including Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Lofa, Nimba, and Rivercess.
Additionally, the Programme has invested in other social services, such as the construction of state-of-the-art water infrastructures in five communities across three counties in Bong, Gbarpolu, and Rivercess, with three of the water facilities completed already.
In health, seven ambulances were procured and handed over to the Ministry of Health to enhance its service delivery in communities in Bomi, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Nimba, River Gee, and Rivercess.
Also, the ACDP has successfully trained and facilitated elections for a five-member board of directors across 12 agricultural cooperatives, with support from the Cooperative Development Agency (CDA).
These interventions are in addition to previous training of farmer cooperatives in handling agrochemicals by the Central Agriculture Research Institute (CARI) and in the operation, maintenance, and servicing of tractors provided to about 28 cooperative members (14 males and 14 females) by Cape Automotive Solutions, Inc., a local New Holland dealer.
Recently, 16 motorbikes (YAMAHA) were handed over to the Ministry of Agriculture for extension officers to ensure effective monitoring and provision of technical support to farmers across Liberia, especially cooperatives within ACDP-supported communities and counties.
The donation further demonstrates the programmers’ commitment to lifting rural farmers out of poverty and reducing inequality by investing in the logistical capacity of the Ministry of Agriculture.
