Decades of water scarcity end in Adaklu Dawanu as two mechanised boreholes commissioned

Residents of Adaklu Dawanu, a farming community in the Adaklu District, of the Volta Region have for decades lived without a reliable source of potable water.

According to Madam Stella Kudah, country director at Friends of Adaklu (FOA), a not-for-profit organisation based in the district, the community’s only source of water is stagnant water that collects whenever it rains and flows beneath a bridge, which is often unclean and unsafe for people to drink. She noted that both humans and cattle drank from the same source since there was no other option.

The situation, she explained, forces residents, including children as young as 5, to walk about an hour to fetch water. However, when it stops raining, the water dries up, leaving community members with no option but to walk two to three hours into the bush in search of water to drink and meet other needs.

Madam Kudah recounted how she broke down in tears after witnessing a woman drink the contaminated water. She added that although Friends of Adaklu, through its Program & Policy Advisor, Robert Tornu, provided two water storage tanks to help harvest rainwater, the intervention wasn't enough to solve the problem.

The District Chief Executive, Hon. Jerry Ameko, confirmed that several efforts to provide the community with potable drinking water had failed over the years.

“We have tried several times to give them water, but we realised that the effort we put in is not yielding as we expected,” he said.

Relief, however, has come to the community through the intervention of Friends of Adaklu. With support from international partners, including Linda Janourova and Christina Randazzo from The Academy (a private School in Berkeley, California, in the USA), the organisation successfully drilled and mechanised one borehole and repaired a broken borehole to serve the community.

The new facilities are expected to provide clean and accessible water for drinking, cooking and other domestic activities, significantly improving the quality of life for residents.

Expressing her joy at the completion of the project, Madam Kudah said the lack of potable water had long been a major concern for the organisation.

“Today, Dawanu has two flowing boreholes that are clean enough for them to drink, to cook with, to do all their activities at home,” she said. “I am so excited… now I can go to bed and sleep knowing that the students, the community members, the women, girls and boys… can now sit at home and relax because they have water just by them.”

She attributed the success of the project to the support of partners in California and other individuals based in the USA who mobilised resources to address the pressing need.

Hon. Ameko who inaugurated the projects described the intervention as a major milestone for the district, noting that access to water is essential for survival and development.

“Water, they say, is life. Survival cannot be complete when we do not have water. And so once you have brought water to the people, you have brought life to us,” he stated.

He further explained that the lack of water was a security concern for the community.

“A lack of water can be treated as a security issue. And so once you have got this, it is a great relief to us as a people,” he added.

The DCE commended Friends of Adaklu and its partners for their commitment to improving lives in the district, describing the organisation as a dependable development partner.

He emphasised the need for continued collaboration between government and development partners, stating that the Assembly remains open to partnerships that will address other pressing needs in the district.

Hon. Ameko noted that the occasion was particularly memorable as it coincided with exactly one year since he assumed office as the District Chief Executive. He also pointed out that, just like on the day of his swearing-in, rainfall was recorded during the commissioning of the boreholes, which he described as a sign of God’s blessing.

Mawunyo Sesi, Youth Leader of Adaklu Dawanu, said the community, established in 1901, has lacked access to potable water for about 50 years. He noted that residents had to walk nearly half a mile to the riverside to fetch water. He described the boreholes as a joyful development, as children and residents no longer travel long distances for unclean water, and expressed gratitude to Friends of Adaklu and its donors for their support.

Christina Randazzo, who has volunteered with Friends of Adaklu for Nine (9) years, as the USA Communications liaison, described the previous water situation as unacceptable.

“Nobody should drink that kind of water,” she said, adding that her desire to support the project was driven by a personal commitment to give back to communities in need.

Reflecting on her journey with the organisation, she described her involvement as the most fulfilling of all her volunteer work. She commended the consistency and dedication of the leadership of Friends of Adaklu, particularly Stella Kudah and Robert Tornu.

“Robert and Stella, they do such an amazing job, and I know they're always going to follow through. If I'm able to raise the money, I know that money is going to be spent wisely,” she said.

She further noted that her engagement with Friends of Adaklu began through the African Library Project, which later evolved into a strong partnership that led to several interventions, including the Cassava Farmer Programme, the Pen Pal Programme, the Bicycle Project, the Starlink Project, the Digital Literacy Programme, and ultimately the water project.

She described her visit to the community as eye-opening and life-changing as she revealed that she doesn't plan on stopping to help them anytime soon.

She added that her visit to the community had strengthened her resolve to continue supporting similar initiatives, stressing that she does not intend to stop any time soon and looks forward to contributing to more projects in the future.

Linda Janourova, a board member and a parent at the Academy, said her involvement with Friends of Adaklu was facilitated through Christina Randazzo, who introduced the projects to the school community.

She explained that their support initially began with book donations, which later developed into broader initiatives after interactions with students in Adaklu revealed challenges such as access to education. This led to fundraising efforts, including walk-a-thons, which helped provide about 100 bicycles and computers for the community.

According to her, the decision to support the water project followed a visit by Robert Tornu, who highlighted the urgent need for clean water in Dawanu.

Linda Janourova also explained that her decision to support the project was deeply influenced by her personal background. She said having been born in Czechoslovakia, her family had to flee when she was young and relied on the support of others while living in different countries.

She noted that this experience shaped her commitment to give back whenever the opportunity arises. According to her, supporting the Dawanu water project was an easy decision because it was a clear case of a community in need.

Mr Kingsley E. K. Leh in a speech read on behalf of the headmaster of Adaklu Salvation Army Basic School noted that access to safe drinking water will reduce waterborne diseases and improve the overall well-being of both pupils and community members. He said the intervention will contribute to better school attendance and active participation in learning.

He also acknowledged other initiatives made possible through Friends of Adaklu, Christina and the Academy, including the Bicycle Project, digital learning support, internet connectivity and feeding programmes. He expressed profound gratitude to all partners for their continued commitment to improving lives in the community.

He called for more support to address other critical needs, including digital learning tools, sanitation facilities, healthcare access and additional bicycles, to further improve living conditions and educational outcomes in the community.

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