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Business Reporter
THE Coca-Cola Foundation has completed and handed over seven solar-powered boreholes to selected Bulawayo suburbs under its drive to help enhance access to safe drinking water.

DanChurch Aid spearheaded the implementation of the project funded to the tune of US$50 000 by Coca-Cola Foundation.

The boreholes have since  been handed over to the Bulawayo City Council.

The boreholes are in Emakhandeni, Pumula, Nketa and Emganwini suburbs and are expected to benefit more than 25 000 people.

The project was initiated in February 2021 and is focused on addressing the problem of inadequate water and poor sanitation in low-income urban communities in Bulawayo. The intervention is also set to contribute towards mitigating the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bulawayo has had perennial water shortages and outbreaks of diarrhoea and typhoid have become a common phenomenon in the communities.

The Coca-Cola Foundation, a philanthropic arm of The Coca-Cola Company availed US$50  000 to DanChurch Aid Zimbabwe to implement the project.

The Bulawayo City Council identified and availed the locations in the areas facing water shortages.

“This project is built on the success of the Coca-Cola Foundation’s Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN), which improved access to clean water for six million Africans in more than 4 000 communities across 41 countries”, said Coca-Cola Foundation president, Saadia Madsbjerg on Friday.

“Our strategy is to deploy Coca-Cola Foundation funds in a way that emphasises more sustainable, efficient water usage, helps address local water challenges and partners with others to improve watershed health and enhance community water resilience.

“These projects uplift lives in these communities, in particular women and girls. Our giving strategy has a strong emphasis on understanding the local context and needs of communities, which then informs the choice of appropriate interventions.”

DanChurch Aid country director Mr Mads Schack Lindegard said: “this project has enabled us to take a step towards empowering communities to fight against the Covid-19 pandemic while delivering on the vital human need of access to water.

“The provision of solarised boreholes will alleviate climate change induced water shortages in low-income residential areas housing some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in the city, which has been made possible through a generous grant from The Coca-Cola Foundation.”

Bulawayo Mayor, Councillor Solomon Mguni, has welcomed the project saying it will greatly assist Bulawayo City Council to enhance improved water supply throughout the year.