Rotary project taking water to 20,000 people

Highlands

By TONY PALME
MORE than 20,000 people from Nondugl in Jiwaka will benefit from a water project to be funded by the Rotary District 9600 club of Brisbane, Australia.
The project will be facilitated by Rotary Jiwaka, based in Nondugl, from July to September.
Rotary Jiwaka president Andrias Okun said the project would cost around K500,000.
Okun said the water project will benefit two primary schools, a secondary school, a teachers’ college, a police station, a health centre, a rugby field, government buildings, four church groups, a vocational school, and seven villages.
“This will be a privilege for the people of Nondugl to receive this important service,” he said.
“Water is a basic need but having access to this resource at the doorstep and in a healthy and safe environment has always been a major problem.
He said the Merep River will be the source of the water supply with taps to be installed in each location.
Rotary Australia has also funded an e-learning education project that comes with an online library and textbooks with free WiFi internet connection to be used in the schools.
“We are yet to see some of our schools use this service to enhance teaching and learning. Our teachers are not used to the internet, so they will be helped to familiarise themselves with using the internet,” Okun said.
Rotary will implement a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (Wash) project in Jiwaka.
It had also funded an online information technology learning programme for public servants in Jiwaka. The programme has seen 20 public servants from Kerowaghi district, in Chimbu, and 27 from Minj in Jiwaka graduate with a Certificate in IT.