The Sunday News
Mthabisi Tshuma, Sunday News Correspondent
THE Government of Turkey through its organisation Turkiye Diyanet Foundation will today drill a state-of-the-art solar-powered borehole in Pelandaba suburb in Bulawayo while Turkish Co-operation and Co-ordination Agency yesterday donated food hampers to families in Tshabalala and Pelandaba suburbs.
The drilling of the boreholes is part of a programme that will see eight boreholes being drilled in Bulawayo with Entumbane suburb having benefited so far. The move is set to ease the water shortages which have seen the Bulawayo City Council coming up with a 120-hour weekly water shedding due to the water problems.
Minister of State for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs, Cde Judith Ncube, on behalf of the Government thanked the good gesture expressed by the Turkish Government organisations.
“On behalf of the Government of Zimbabwe, the city of Bulawayo and standing in for President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, we would like to thank the Turkish Embassy and all its offices for such a donation.
“With this project you should go beyond and even have fish ponds, vegetable gardens at home and make a living out of the borehole,” said Cde Ncube.
Turkish NGOs Trustee Mr Adam Wadi said the borehole project was meant to alleviate water challenges in the city and also ensure that people exercise personal hygiene, a key factor in mitigating the spread of Covid-19.
“Tomorrow (today) we will drill a borehole here in Pelandaba after we completed the survey and identified a site for the borehole. The borehole will ensure that the residents have access to clean water and will go a long way in fighting Covid-19 where the residents will have water for sanitising their hands regularly,” said Mr Wadi.
Mr Wadi said at the borehole site, the Pelandaba community will have a garden project which the residents have named Phelelisa Pelandaba garden.
Secretary General Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs in Zimbabwe Mr AL-Hadgi Sheikh Musafa Pateya said the food donation was meant to alleviate poverty which has been induced by the coronavirus pandemic as many are not going to work especially the elderly.
Phelelisa Pelandaba garden chairperson Mr Naison Moyo said 123 families drawn from Pelandaba West and Old Pelandaba are expected to be part of the garden project.
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