Villages get clean water systems

National

By JACKLYN SIRIAS
A TEAM from Oxfam has visited some island villages to provide them with fresh and clean water.
For example, the team visited Schouten Islands in East Sepik, consisting of six volcanic island villages of about 6000 people.
They are Vokeo, Koil, Wei, Ruprup, Biem and Kadavar.
Oxfam communication and media officer Diane Anton said the team initially planned to visit the six islands but only managed to visit Koil, Vokeo, Ruprup and Wei.
She said people there had to walk far to get a bucket of clean fresh water daily.
They rely on water from wells and the fresh water which flows out of coral reefs during low tide.
There are also hot springs.
On Koil Island where there are about 500 people, the Wash team installed two rain-catchment tanks, constructed two wells and two water sources using handpumps.
For the 350 people on Wei Island, the team installed one rainwater catchment, improved an existing roof and the gutters, and built a spring box, accessible through a tap stand as a standby for drought.
Vokeo Island with a population of about 800 people, now has a dam, five tap stands and two rainwater catchments.
On Ruprup Island, more than 600 people have four rainwater catchment tanks.
On Kadavar Island, the team provided two rainwater-catchment tanks.
Wewak Island local level government president Pius Bugatar thanked the Oxfam team for the assistance.
“Oxfam supported our communities with water tanks and sheds for rain catchment, Colgate and tooth-brushes, and roofing iron for education and health infrastructure maintenance, as well as the construction of basic water supply units on these islands.”