Borehole drillers work through Easter

DRILLERS under the Presidential Borehole Scheme worked throughout the Easter holiday to sink boreholes for villagers in desperate need of water.

Plumtree villagers breathed a sigh of relief this Easter after benefiting from solar-powered boreholes under the scheme.

Plumtree is one of the districts in Matabeleland South province facing a serious water shortage exacerbated by an El Niño-induced drought.

A number of water sources have since dried up, with villagers walking long distances to fetch water.

Prevail Group International chairperson Paul Tungwarara, whose company is drilling the boreholes, said they had to work during the Easter holiday to ensure that villagers have access to clean water.

“We are working round the clock to ensure that people have access to potable water. It is business as usual, despite it being a holiday. We are installing 100 solar-powered boreholes in Plumtree,” he said.

“Our teams are on the ground installing solar-powered boreholes in Plumtree and Masvingo. The programme is being implemented across the country and we have drilled quite a number of boreholes in many parts of the country.”

Meanwhile, Buhera district is also set to benefit from 100 solar-powered boreholes ahead of the 44th Independence Day celebrations to be held near Murambinda growth point.

Tungwarara said they had since drilled 60 boreholes in Buhera, adding that they would reach the target before April 18.

“Our target is to drill 100 boreholes in villages across Buhera district and as of yesterday, we were at 60. We are certain that we will reach the target before April 18,” said Tungwarara.

Buhera lies in ecological Region 5 where villagers perennially grapple with water shortages.

Government is aiming to provide a borehole for each of the country’s 35 000 villages by 2025, as well as nutrition gardens.