Liberia WASH Consortium Intensifies Awareness on Water, Sanitation
…Celebrates World Water Day in Sinoe – By WASH R&E “Media” Network – The Liberia WASH Consortium has intensified awareness on the importance of access to improved Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).
View of students at indoor program on World Water Day 2016, Greenville, Sinoe
The Consortium, as part of its Awareness Strategy recently concluded activities marking Water Action Month, as part of the official celebration of World Water Day, March 22, 2016.
The activities were held in Greenville, Sinoe County in collaboration with its local Partner, “Association of Evangelicals of Liberia (AEL)” including the county administration, student community and the residents.
Speaking during the official indoor program, the Advocacy & Communications Coordinator at the Liberia WASH Consortium, Robertetta T. Rose described the celebration as a robust action month for the progressiveness of the WASH Sector across the country.
According to her, water is a human rights issue signifying that it is the right of all to have access to safe water, improved sanitation and hygiene.
She narrated that because it is their rights as a human, it is vital that they as young people take actions to demand for their rights to access safe water.
Students of Sineo County parading on World Water Day in Greenville
The Liberia WASH Consortium Advocacy & Communications Coordinator wants citizens of Sinoe County to formulate a program with the Consortium to invite their county leadership to address those issues that are affecting the WASH sector at a governmental level.
According to her, the WASH sector is fragmented indicating that there are many Ministries and Agencies of Government engaged into he operation of WASH.
MoreoverMiss Rose said there is a need for the Government of Liberia to ensure the establishment of a Ministry that will only be responsible for WASH activities in the country.
Also speaking, Sinoe County Superintendent, Thomas Romeo Quioh said water plays a vital role in the development of any nation like Liberia.
According to him, no nation can do away with water, indicating that water is an essential component that needs to be a key focus of the country’s developmental agenda.
Speaking on behalf of government and the people of Sinoe, the County Superintendent further indicated that government needs to ensure that those concession companies engaged in the cultivation of huge land ensure that they address environmental impact of the various communities.
Sup. Quioh narrated that the cultivation of community forests destroys the water system of those inhabitants thus exposing them to unhealthy conditions.
He further said they as environmentalists continue to educate the public not to be carried away by what he calls perceived motive of some stakeholders in awarding their land to concession for financial gains without addressing the environmental impact.
Sinoe County Superintendent, T. Romeo Quioh and other officials at the Program
He challenged inhabitants of concession areas to ensure that those issues of environmental impact are fully addressed that include access to safe drinking water, health center and other hygienic components to be implemented before any work can be realized by those companies.
According to him, some of those concession companies in line with the agreement will commit to construct those facilities but pointed out that they often do not fulfill their commitment to the inhabitants.
The Sinoe County Superintendent urged the citizens to appreciate all of those WASH Projects implemented across the county.
He challenged the beneficiaries to always work collectively in protecting the various hand pumps and latrines with in the communities for the battement of all.
He used the occasion to also expressed gratitude to the Liberia WASH Consortium and implementing partners for taking World Water Day 2016 celebration to Sinoe County.
For his part, the Program Manager of the Association of Evangelicals of Liberia (AEL) Ebenezer Binda provided the sanitation status and the intervention of the Liberia WASH Consortium in Sinoe County.
According to him, the Liberia WASH Consortium has existed since 2007 and delivered two major programs including the WASH Post War Recovery Strategy of 2007-2012, founded by partners.
He said the Strategy has an investment of 26 million Untied States Dollars and assisted 1.1 million beneficiaries across ten of the fifteen counties of Liberia.
Mr. Binda said the partners were able to build the capacity of local organizations including the AEL and the Government of Liberia through Oxfam, among others.
He further indicated that the objective of the Liberia WASH Consortium is to ensure that local partners have the technical policy advocacy and campaign knowhow to set positive reforms in the WASH Sector.
Advocacy & Communications Coordinator at the Liberia WASH Consortium, Robertetta T. Rose
Mr. Binda also indicated that the WASH Consortium has been working to ensure that the people of Sinoe get safe drinking water indicating that they are providing hand pumps including toilet facilities, among others.
He further narrated that the Liberia WASH Consortium has worked in eight Districts in Sinoe covering 61 communities, and they were able to construct 38 new hand pumps and rehabilitated 37.
He further revealed that the Liberia WASH Consortium was able to work with communities to construct 358 family latrines and 50 VIP latrines among other interventions.
The World Water Day 2016 celebration in Greenville, Sinoe County was colorful and successful bringing together other residents and students, among others.
