Self Help Africa Sensitises Kano Community on Safe Drinking Water

Self Help Africa, a non-governmental organisation, has sensitised residents of Gatsika community in Makoda Local Government Area of Kano State on the use of inline chlorination to improve drinking water safety and prevent water-borne diseases.

The sensitisation meeting was organised to educate community members on the importance of treating drinking water with chlorine to protect households against harmful germs.

Speaking at the meeting, the Head of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Department of Makoda Local Government, Alhaji Mansur Isah Fagwalawa, commended Self Help Africa for introducing the intervention aimed at improving community health and wellbeing.

Fagwalawa said the local government was committed to providing safe and clean water to residents, adding that its partnership with the organisation was contributing to achieving the objective.

He urged residents to maintain and protect their water facilities for the benefit of the entire community.

He said the meeting was attended by representatives of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, the Kano Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA) and the local government’s WASH department.

In his remarks, the Field Technical Coordinator, Mr Aminu Idris, said the team visited Gatsika to educate residents on water chlorination and seek their consent for installing chlorine dispensers at selected boreholes.

Idris said the intervention was designed to protect lives and reduce the risk of water-borne diseases, particularly among pregnant women and children below five years.

He explained that the installation of the dispensers would help improve the safety of drinking water within the community.

Following the sensitisation, the project manager sought the community’s approval for the installation of the dispensers, after which a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the relevant parties.

The meeting also provided an opportunity for residents to ask questions about the project, which were addressed by government representatives and the Self Help Africa team.

Also speaking, Mr Hamza Lamido of RUWASA explained the importance of chlorine in water treatment and how the dispenser operates to make drinking water safer.

The Ward Head of Gatsika expressed appreciation to Self Help Africa for selecting the community as a pilot location for the intervention.

He pledged the community’s commitment to protecting the dispensers and ensuring the proper and judicious use of chlorine.