FROM Daniel Y Dayee, Abesim- Sunyani
THE ROTARY club of Sunyani- Central has rescued Abesim Health Centre and other communities suffering from acute water shortages by providing mechanized boreholes fitted with tanks and also toilet facilities to communities embarking on open defecation to prevent sanitation related diseases.
The beneficiary communities included basic schools and churches in the Sunyani Municipality and a training college in the Dormaa district. The facilities we’re handed to them last Friday.
They are Abesim Health Centre/Eye Clinic- one merchandised borehole, Atuahenekrom MA Basic school-one mechanized borehole, Atronie Methodist Basic School, one mechanized borehole, Nwowasu( Kramokrom, Atronie, one mechanized borehole, 20 household toilets and 3-unit toilet for Presby Basic school.
Others are St Ambrose College of Education, Dormaa Akwamu, one mechanized borehole, Mensakrom/Aburokyire, one mechanized borehole and 20 household toilets.
The rests are St Joseph Basic School, Sunyani Newtown, one mechanized borehole, SDA Basic School, Newtown, Sunyani and Ziga Junction EP Church, Sunyani one mechanized borehole each.
At Abesim Health Centre to cut the tape to handover the water system, President of the Sunyani Central Club, Prof Jones Louis Arthur said the motto of the Rotary Club is service beyond self so are interested in the welfare of people in communities.
He emphasized that health is a critical ingredient for people’s and community development noting, ‘when you have health you have everything’.
That is why through our members contributions due we mobilize to achieve this fit. We want to bring comfort to people’s homes and workplaces.
As such Prof Louis pleaded with the beneficiary communities and institutions to take good care of the facilities to prolong its life span.
From the research we did, we realized the above communities lack potable water and some go to toilet in the bush, and this is the cause of disease outbreak.
The gesture is therefore not to expect profit but to put smile on faces of community members who are in need.
Speaking on what is the Rotary club and their mission Prof Jones Louis Arthur explained the club is a voluntary organization and is open to individuals who are willing to alleviate problems of their colleague human beings in difficult situations.
‘It has nothing to with occultism so people should disabuse their minds with that mentality and come and join. Our aim is service beyond self. It is not about party neither is it about church.
Anybody with different professionals’ backgrounds can join and pay dues. You can still go to your church or political party and remain it. It is an association where your money is used to alleviate problems of others, he emphasized.
As part of the project the club is also to provide maintenance, financial and user training to the beneficiaries of the water and the sanitation facilities.
All 10 mechanized boreholes and the toilet according to the club cost $82, 500 and the funds is contribution from members in Rotary Club Sunyani- Central, Rotary club Farmville (Sue Carter), Rotary USA and Rotary national.
The toilet facilities are expected to benefit about 1,800 inhabitants while the water facilities also shall benefit 26, 673 people adding up to 28, 473 beneficiaries from the various communities in the Sunyani and Dormaa Ahenkro districts.
After the handover, the Human Resource Manager of the Abesim Health Centre, Dabuo Josephine on behalf of management expressed gratitude to the Rotary saying the water facility has come at the right time to solve acute water shortage facing the facility.
She assured her administration is going to ensure good, maintained culture to continue providing the facility with their water needs.
Prof Jones Louis Arthur was joined by Frank Kofi Owusu Debrah, Theresah Appraku, Sunyani Rotaract President and other members of the club to cut the tape to commission the water facility.