The World Vision on Monday commissioned a multi-purpose solar mechanized water system at Gonum in the Kassena Nankana West District of the Upper East Region at the cost of 110,000 Ghana cedis.
In addition, it had also drilled a mechanized borehole at Woligum also at the cost 10,000 Ghana cedis for the water poor communities where many children get to school very late because they have to commute for very long distances to find water for the home.
The poor quality of water in the area has also predisposed most of the people to waterborne diseases such as diarrhea and typhoid.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency at separate functions in the two communities, Mr Samuel Diarra , Director of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene of World Vision in charge of West Africa, said the water system at Gonum had the capacity of supplying water to the entire community including the health facility and the Gonum Primary School all of which had been connected to the facility.
"Apart from that the facility which had a lifespan above 25 years could be used for irrigation in the dry season and could improve upon the livelihoods of people in the area particularly women who could cultivate vegetables during that period", Mr Diarra stressed.
He said since 1985, World Vision had drilled about 3,000 mechanized boreholes in Ghana and also empowered some communities in the area of good hygiene and sanitation serving about one million people in the country.
This, he noted, had contributed significantly to the reduction of water borne diseases such guinea worm in the Northern Regions and the Afram Plains.
The National Director of World Vision Ghana , Mr Hubert Charles, said the of World Vision was particularly concerned about the vulnerable such as children and women and that was why his outfit had provided the facilities to alleviate the hardship of the less fortunate.
The Senior Vice President of the International Programme Group of World Vision, Mr Kent Hill indicated that he was happy that the school children would no longer commute long distances to search for water which often led to lateness in school and appealed to the Chiefs and elders to own the facilities.
The Area Development Programme Manager of World Vision in charge of the Kassena- Nankana West, Ms Eugenia Atami said between October 2010 and September 2012, her outfit had drilled 43 boreholes in the District and was also implementing the Community Led Total Sanitation project which encourages communities and schools to keep good sanitation and hygiene practices.
"Good Hygiene and Sanitation clubs have been formed in schools and are taught on good sanitation issues. Additionally, hand washing facilities have been provided to some schools in the area and school children are encouraged to wash their hands after visiting the toilet", she added.