By Staff Reporter
CHIPINGE, Manicaland — Deputy Primary and Secondary Education minister Angeline Gata has commissioned a solar-powered piped water scheme in Betura, Chipinge District, bringing relief to two schools and surrounding communities after years of acute water shortages.
The scheme, commissioned in Ward 16, will supply Mwacheta Primary School, Mwacheta Secondary School and nearby households.
It was implemented by the government in partnership with Welt Hunger Hilfe (WHH), with technical support from government engineers.
Water shortages in the area have disrupted learning while also affecting health and hygiene at the schools and in the surrounding communities.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony attended by villagers and ruling party supporters, Gata, who is also the Mutema-Musikavanhu MP, said the project was an investment in the future of children.
“Water is an investment in education. This is not just a borehole or a tank, it is a classroom, it is a textbook, it is a future.
“Where water flows, learning grows.
“Our learners will now spend less time fetching water and more time in class, and that is how we build a knowledgeable and skilled nation,” said Gata.
She described access to water as a basic necessity and said the project demonstrated the government’s commitment to improving service delivery in rural communities.
“Water is life. Without it, there is no health, no dignity, no development.
“This solar-powered scheme is proof that Government, working with partners like Welt Hunger Hilfe, is committed to ensuring that no community is left behind in the provision of basic services,” she said.
Gata said reliable water supplies could also help households generate income through agriculture and livestock production.
“Water is a barrier to poverty. When a community has reliable water, it can produce food, generate income and build wealth.
“This project is an empowerment tool.
“It gives our people the power to feed themselves, to sell surplus produce and to send their children to school. It speeds up the Constituency in attaining the set SDGs by Government and the country,” she said.
Gata linked the project to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030 agenda, particularly efforts to improve health and education.
“His Excellency, President Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa, has a clear vision, a healthy nation and a productive education sector by 2030.
“This project is a direct contribution to that vision. A healthy child learns better and a productive school feeds the nation,” she said.
The new water supply is expected to support school gardens while improving sanitation and hygiene at the two schools.
Nearby households are also expected to use the water for horticulture and livestock production, potentially creating additional sources of food and income.