|  Back
to Mainpage
Linda Water Enterprise
The Psychology
of Vision UK has entered a partnership with the Linda Water
Enterprise. The Linda Water Enterprise is a community based
organisation that manages the water supply in Linda Compound.
They do this by operating a water system with one small
electrical pump, three 10,000 litre storage tanks and a
small network of 4",
2" and 1" inch pipes that tries to serve a large
community, approx 22,000. While their efforts are praiseworthy
they have not been able to meet the needs of the community
and they have not reached a place where the revenue they
make from the sale of water maintains the system. There are
many reasons for this but it is our intention to contribute
what we can to enable them to reach a sustainable and stable
water network.
For those who would like to
follow the progress of our partnership we are compiling a
diary. Click on a link below for more information.
1.
Our First Visit. October 2004
2.
A New Pump and Water supply for Zone 4
3.
A Whole New System Nov 2005
In some areas of Linda Compound
there is still no water at all and people have to resort to
long walks carrying the water often from shallow wells which
are polluted and dangerous. In the compound over the last
few years there have been a number of cholera outbreaks with
a significant death toll. This is just oneof the challenges
facing these people, which include a pandemic of aids, malaria,
unemployment, child prostitution, social deprivation and poor
governance.
Linda Compound is 17 kilometers
from the capital of Zambia, Lusaka. Linda compound was land
originally owned by a white farmer who left Zambia. At first
his workforce used the land but over time it has grown into
a town, a community with several Churches, shops and dirt
roads but most of the people are unemployed. Of the 22,000
people the estimate is that 2,000 have any form of employment.
Some
of the money we collect has and will go towards this project.
So far we have spent about £6,000 for phase 1. We
plan to carry out two more phases this year.
Phase
2 is the installation of three isolation valves within
the system to better manage the water distribution especially
in times of poor supply. It is estimated this will cost
around £1,000 and will
ensure people far from the source receive water.
Phase
3 is a big undertaking. We plan to install a second borehole
with a further 7.5K pump at a different location but which
will feed into the existing supply. During this phase we
hope that the supply will be extended to every area of
the compound. Both Jeff Allen and Mike Parker are planning
to return to Zambia in October and with the support of
a group of volunteers to accomplish this phase. The estimated
cost of this phase is about £9,000.
We will raise this money through
Vision Africa and its various fund raising activities. Please
use the Africa Forum if you have any questions, suggestions
or wish to make a contribution.
We would like to add that
the water supply we aim for is not the water supply many of
us live with in Europe or Asia but rather a stand pipe within
reasonable walking distance. It is also important
to add no-one is denied water. People who can't pay
are given water and then asked to contribute something, even
some labour to help.
Lastly we honour the memory
of Rev Longwe who died of cerebral malaria in Feb. 2005. A
memeber of the Linda Water Enterprise amongst many other causes.
He was a good man whose efforts gave hope to thousands and
his memory lives on in our efforts.
Back
to Mainpage |
