Khoemacau dig deep to end school’s water woes
The well-documented health crisis at Ngami JSS could finally be a problem of the past, with MMG Khoemacau Mine committing a further P900, 000 towards a complete overhaul of the school’s water system.
In total, the copper miner’s will splash out P2.9 million to end the school’s nightmare.
Speaking at the annual Lake Ngami Cycle Classic in Toteng on Saturday, the mine’s Director of External Affairs, Boikobo Paya revealed they intend to build a modern ablution blocks at the boarding school’s hostels. It is estimated this will be fully operational within the next three months.
“If you recall, we pledged P2 million, this year we are putting and additional P900, 000 to complete the work because we realised that there is a lot of work that needs to be done and we do not want to leave it half done,” explained Paya on the sidelines of the charity event.
The long-standing water woes at the boarding school has forced its 764 learners to resort to open defecation in the bush, a practice the World Health Organisation lists as a leading cause of diarrhoea deaths globally.
The students also use buckets for bathing, often having to venture into Sehithiwa village, where the school is located, to fetch water for washing and drinking.
The distressing situation has long been a matter of concern debated as far up as the North West District full council.
“Logic [Khoemacau General Manager, Logic Sebopeng] was not joking when he said learners are using buckets for bathing and that they use pit latrines, that is going to stop,” declared Paya, confirming the mine’s commitment to use the funds from the annual charity event to phase out the existing pit latrines by the end of January.
“The old toilets will be replaced with water system toilets to ensure a cleaner and healthier environment for the students,” he added.
Sebopeng spoke with similar passion about Lake Ngami Cycle Classic’s impact, with this year’s edition raising P1.5 million.
“It will give hope to a child at Ngami JSS that one day they will have an ablution block that you can go and bathe, or take a shower instead of washing or showering in a bucket behind trees,” he stated.
The situation has been described as a ‘messy’ and ‘humiliating experience’ for the pupils at the government school, located some 100 kilometers from Maun.
The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project is part of Khoemacau’s broader commitment to uplift the Ngamiland region, which Sebopeng noted will benefit both the school and the wider community.
“It will give hope to a woman in Toteng that one day she will have water running in her yard to avoid walking kilometers to the kgotla only to be met with an empty jojo tank,” quipped Sebopeng.
Other CSR initiatives undertaken by the mine include equipping schools in the Sehitwa-Toteng area with internet including e-library.
“It will give hope to a school kid in Somelo that they will be able to connect with the world because of the internet connectivity,” concluded the GM.
