Salesian Missions Brings Clean Water to Namibian Village

Salesian Missions Brings Clean Water to Namibian Village

(ANS – Ruurumwe, Namibia – December 12, 2022) – Residents of the Ruurumwe village, located outside of Rundu, Namibia, have access to clean water thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions of New Rochelle. The project, part of the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative,” provided a new borewell, water tank, and pump.

The 550 people living in the village are poor and survive on small-scale farming and government grants. The water supply from a small seasonal river is erratic and too often not enough. During the summer, residents survive on water from holes and small wells, but this water is not safe for human consumption. The new borewell and 5,000-liter water storage tank will supply fresh, clean water for the entire village and allow people to grow food for the community.

One of the beneficiaries, Ethel Hamutenya, has had a difficult life. She had to stop school at grade 9 after she became pregnant, and she has not been able to go back. Hamutenya struggles to find work to earn money to feed herself and her child. She is grateful for the new water supply.

Hamutenya said, “Today I have a small garden that has given me hope in my life. I have planted some vegetables, and my life has changed because of this water. If I work hard, after next year, I will have enough money to go back to school.”

According to the World Bank, Namibia is just one of 9 countries in Africa considered as upper middle income, but poverty is still prevalent with extreme wealth imbalances. Namibia’s poverty rate is 32% with an unemployment rate of 29.6%. Poverty in Namibia is acute in the northern regions of Kavango, Oshikoto, Zambezi, Kunene, and Ohangwena, where upwards of 1/3 of the population lives in poverty. HIV prevalence in the country is 16.9%.

Salesian programs across Namibia are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education in the country helps youths prepare for later technical, vocational, or university study. Other programs help to support poor youths and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition, and medical care.

To learn more about the Salesian Missions Clean Water Initiative, go to SalesianMissions.org/water.

Source: Salesian Missions