Water is Flowing

After over a year spent building 3 holding tanks, laying miles of pipes, and setting up a solar powered generator, water is now accessible along a mountainside to a community of 3,000 people. Instead of hiking down the mountainside carrying a Jerry can, water can be retrieved at one of 4 stations.

Arlene Brown worked with Les Compagnons Frontaniers du Rwanda (COFORWA), a non-profit organization which works for the well-being of local communities in rural areas of Rwanda by providing improved access to water through the construction of water installations.

COFORWA has more than 40 years of experience and operates throughout Rwanda. It also provides training courses on water quality, water installations and maintenance.

On Saturday February 18, 2012 a celebration was held for the blessing of the water project. Many dignitaries came including the army commander from Muhanga District, COFORWA President, Rotarian President, Arlene Brown, the Vice-Mayor of the Muhanga District and others. Many from
the community joined the celebration.

And thanks to Rotary International in Pittsburgh, PA, Canada and Kigali, Rwanda the solar panels and generator are in place. That was the final step.

Thank you to the many Methodist churches in Centre County, Pennsylvania that raised funds for the holding tanks and pipes. It took many from our community to reach across the world to another community to join together in this amazing project.

So when you turn on your water, stop and think......we are so fortunate for what we have.

Go to my Blog posting on October 24, 2011 to see photos of the holding tanks and the water project while I was there.