POUL DUE JENSEN FOUNDATION WATER Cyclone Idai hit East Africa in March 2019, costing more than 1,300 lives and destroying everything from houses and infrastructure to water infrastructure. With support from the Poul Due Jensen Foundation, PlanBørnefonden (Plan International) established solar-powered water pumps in Mozambique. One year after the end of the project, the pumps have ensured a stable and sustainable water supply in the surrounding communities. The Sofala province in eastern Mozambique suffered some of the most severe consequences when Cyclone Idai hit in March 2019. Many of those who survived the cyclone and the massive floods lost their homes and fields. Several of the area’s schools were transformed to house those families who no longer had their own roof over their heads. This put a lot of pressure on the area’s water supply, which was already heavily affected by the damage from the cyclone. Many families could go without running water for days. Solar-powered pumps are a success Fernando Manuel is chairman of the local water committee and a teacher at Bandua Secondary School, where many people have sought refuge. He explains that the challenges with the old hand pumps are that they are expensive to maintain and at the same time had difficulty supplying enough water, so long queues formed outside the school, which made the students insecure. The new solar-powered pumps, in turn, utilise the groundwater well enough to meet the needs of the community. - The pumps are cheap to operate, and the families pay approximately 0.5 dollars a month to have free access to water. The money is mostly used to maintain the taps which get worn out, especially when the children use them so much. So far, we have not had to repair solar cells or other parts, says Fernando Manuel, who also emphasises that the water supply at the schools has enabled the students to continue attending school and maintain good hygiene during the COVID-19 pandemic. Water supply keeps girls in school Access to clean water also means that the girls in the area feel safe coming to school when they are menstruating. - Before, we had to fetch water in a bucket by the old water pump when we had to wash ourselves. We had no privacy. Now we have buckets and taps by the toilets, says 17-year-old Ottilia. Since the water supply was established, the rate of female students skipping school days has been reduced. Besides the improved hygiene at the school, easier access to clean water also expands the girls’ opportunities in the community. Most often they are the ones who have to fetch water for the family, and that task has now become much easier. - Before, I had to go to the river with my mother to fetch water. It is 45 minutes away. It was a tough trip and I had to carry the water home on my head. Now I can quickly make the short trip to the water pump and fetch water when we need it. So I have a lot more time to play with my siblings and help cook or look after my family’s crops, says 13-year-old Belinda. PlanBørnefonden continues to support Belinda and the rest of the population in Mozambique who are still living with the consequences of Idai. With support from the Poul Due Jensen Foundation, PlanBørnefonden moved fast to support the affected families with emergency assistance in the form of hygiene kits and other necessities. At the same time, 20 damaged water pumps were renovated and three solar-powered pumps were added. The emergency relief benefited almost 10,000 people, but today, a year later, the pumps still provide a stable and sustainable water supply to the local communities. Girls like Belinda no longer need to spend several hours daily fetching water. Time which can now be spent in better ways. Photo: PlanBørnefonden 13
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