Water from the grave




Before I started writing my next post on community projects, a very recent BBC news article struck me with the headline: 'Zimbabwe community gets water from a cemetery'.  Immediately drawn to this news story, I kindly request your short attention to the following snippets covering the current situation among the residents in Hopley, Zimbabwe.




The community of Hopley's experience tells the complex story of the multidimensional factors involved in Zimbabwe's water crisis. From drying bore holes to failed piped water installations for a decade, Hopley suffers mainly along the physical, but also increasingly human interface, similar to Tanzania's case described earlier. 

Unfortunately, as the residents continuously seek out to wells on decomposing cemetery sites as a result, the future looks unpromising.  Rainfall in the region is not only projected to reduce further by almost 20%, but the rather brief account of plans for community pipelines underway don't seem to be progressing. Nonetheless, the Harare City Council has combined its efforts with the Embassy of the Netherlands to install a water piped system to serve around 65,000 households and has requested extra assistance from donors following the severity of the issue at hand. 

 Source: Pindula news 

It may still be a long time until trips to nearby cemeteries come to a halt. In the meantime, however, gender disparities may thrive as many young girls like Monica occupy the strenuous task of fetching water for household chores of laundry and cooking. In doing so, the highlighted abuse faced by these girls is prevalent and calls for the stronger application of a feminine lens to understanding and tackling water crises in African communities. 

Next, I shall return back to the community water management projects, taking this deeper insight of the Zimbabwe's Hopley community issue with me!  


Comments

  1. Sophia SaeedNovember 20, 2020 at 1:24 AM

    A interesting but worrying diversion, quite shocking they have to go to a cemetery! I am interested to see how the water piped system will impact the Harare community.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lana KhanNovember 29, 2020 at 10:11 AM

      Thank you Sophia! Yes, it is indeed quite shocking to see!

      Delete
  2. Hamnah ShakeelJanuary 3, 2021 at 6:40 AM

    This is a really interesting point you've highlighted here about the desperate measures that communities take in trying to retrieve water. Particualrly important for your theme of women and water as layered on top of these circumstances is the reality that women and girls bear the responsibility of fetching water.

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