Access to water a persistent challenge in northern Namibia
Residents dream of taps in their homes
For many families, including children, collecting water from distant sources remains a daily domestic chore.
Kenya KamboweOkongo
Despite government efforts to provide safe drinking water for all Namibians, many households – especially in northern Namibia – continue to struggle to access this crucial resource.
Over the weekend, Ewi lyaNooli observed several people, including young children, along the Eenhana–Okongo road in Ohangwena region with donkeys laden with water containers, to fetch water from distant sources.
A key challenge is that some residents and their pack animals are forced to walk as far as 10 kilometres to and from these sources every day.
This remains a daily reality for many citizens in the north, including the two Kavango regions.
At Elundalyondjaba village, a few kilometres from Okongo, two boys were seen walking alongside their donkeys to collect water from a point about two kilometres from their home.
The boys, who asked not to be named, said the routine was normal for them. They admitted it would mean the world to have a water tap at their house one day.
“This is how we live. We get the donkeys and the water buckets and go and collect water for our family,” they remarked.
“Our parents don’t have the means to bring water close to the house... that is why we have to survive like this, but if we get water in our house, it will mean a lot to us.”
Water is life
In her state of the region address (Sora) this month, Ohangwena governor Kadiva Hamutumwa outlined several projects implemented to improve access to water in the region.
“Water is life. Yet, many of our rural communities continue to face serious challenges in accessing clean water for drinking, sanitation and livelihoods, especially in the eastern part of the region,” she said.
She noted that over the past year, three short pipelines were constructed, one in Eenhana and two in the Ongenga constituency, at a cost of N$400 000.
In addition, 492 private water meters were connected across the region, while six boreholes were drilled at a cost of N$3.8 million.
A further 12 deep boreholes were installed, at a cost of N$23 million.
“One earth dam was rehabilitated at Onangwe in the Omulonga constituency at the cost of N$1.9 million,” she said.
In addition, six earth dams were constructed at Endola, Engela, Ohangwena, Oshikango, Ondobe and Ongenga constituencies at the cost of N$1.8 million.
“Installation of a submersible pump at Elakalapwa earth dam in Ongenga constituency was completed at the cost of N$32 500,” she added.
Hamutumwa noted that the Ohangwena 2 Wellfield Project aims to enhance the region’s water supply infrastructure and increase potable water delivery to Eenhana and surrounding communities.
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Despite government efforts to provide safe drinking water for all Namibians, many households – especially in northern Namibia – continue to struggle to access this crucial resource.
Over the weekend, Ewi lyaNooli observed several people, including young children, along the Eenhana–Okongo road in Ohangwena region with donkeys laden with water containers, to fetch water from distant sources.
A key challenge is that some residents and their pack animals are forced to walk as far as 10 kilometres to and from these sources every day.
This remains a daily reality for many citizens in the north, including the two Kavango regions.
At Elundalyondjaba village, a few kilometres from Okongo, two boys were seen walking alongside their donkeys to collect water from a point about two kilometres from their home.
The boys, who asked not to be named, said the routine was normal for them. They admitted it would mean the world to have a water tap at their house one day.
“This is how we live. We get the donkeys and the water buckets and go and collect water for our family,” they remarked.
“Our parents don’t have the means to bring water close to the house... that is why we have to survive like this, but if we get water in our house, it will mean a lot to us.”
Water is life
In her state of the region address (Sora) this month, Ohangwena governor Kadiva Hamutumwa outlined several projects implemented to improve access to water in the region.
“Water is life. Yet, many of our rural communities continue to face serious challenges in accessing clean water for drinking, sanitation and livelihoods, especially in the eastern part of the region,” she said.
She noted that over the past year, three short pipelines were constructed, one in Eenhana and two in the Ongenga constituency, at a cost of N$400 000.
In addition, 492 private water meters were connected across the region, while six boreholes were drilled at a cost of N$3.8 million.
A further 12 deep boreholes were installed, at a cost of N$23 million.
“One earth dam was rehabilitated at Onangwe in the Omulonga constituency at the cost of N$1.9 million,” she said.
In addition, six earth dams were constructed at Endola, Engela, Ohangwena, Oshikango, Ondobe and Ongenga constituencies at the cost of N$1.8 million.
“Installation of a submersible pump at Elakalapwa earth dam in Ongenga constituency was completed at the cost of N$32 500,” she added.
Hamutumwa noted that the Ohangwena 2 Wellfield Project aims to enhance the region’s water supply infrastructure and increase potable water delivery to Eenhana and surrounding communities.
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