…After Three Decades without Water
By Edward Marah
For over three decades Kabala central market has suffered from non-availability of water making life very uncomfortable for the inhabitant of the market.
Market women have to go miles away to fetch water to drink, wash their vegetables and clean the market.
Water many say is the basic necessity for the functioning of all life forms that exist on earth. It is safe to say that water is the reason behind Earth being the only planet to support life.
This universal solvent is one of the major resources we have on this planet. Life can’t function without water.
It is against this backdrop that, Koinadugu-Falaba Political Action Committee (K-PAC) has intervened to salvage the situation with a ground-breaking launch of the Kabala market Water Project on Monday 22nd May 2023 at a colourful ceremony held at the market ground Kabala.
The ceremony which attracted local authorities, market women and well-wishers was described as historic as women sing and dance with tears of joy.
K-PAC Water Project Coordinator, Mrs. Zainab Attire Kabba while launching the project informed her audience that K-PAC is not a political organization but a humanitarian organisation that, is working towards changing and impacting lives and supporting communities in Koinadugu-Falaba District.
She noted that K-PAC was founded a few years ago by Mr Foday Kanded alias Flyman and currently has a social network of over three thousand members with the sole aim of promoting development in Koinadugu-Falaba District.
She revealed that the Water Project is a joint effort of both members of K-PAC and non-members that believed and wants to contribute to the development of both districts.
She disclosed that the project was initiated by Mr Fajimba Pinpin Koroma, Mr Salifu Kaday and herself based on research on the felt need of the community that water is the biggest challenge facing the central market.
Madam Kabba, publicly acknowledged and recognised the contribution of Mr Issa Barrie and his brother Mr Alimu Barrie not only towards the project but to the development of Koinadugu-Fabala District while calling on her audience to continue praying for them.
She maintained that the $11.000 United States dollars project though they have not secured the total cost they are hopeful that it would be actualised and called for contributions from both the diaspora and home base to support the project.
She called on the people to think about development than politics and remain united towards development despite their different political affiliations.
The Speaker of Wara Wara Ysgalia Chiefdom Mr Yembeh Marah described the launch of the project as historic pointing out that, “he who gives water gives life”.
He commended K-PAC for their intervention in salvaging the water crisis in the market while thank Mrs Kabba for her trustworthiness in coordinating the project.
The Town Chief of Kabala Hon. Abu Kawusu Conteh expressed thanks and appreciation to K-PAC for initiating the project and all those that have contributed to the project while appealing for more support in actualizing the project.
He appealed to the beneficiary of the project to take ownership of it by safeguarding and protecting the facility when completed.
K-PAC local coordinators Mr Joyor Barrie and Mr Jamal Shaban also made a meaningful statement assuring of K-PAC’s continued commitment to improving the social well-being of communities in Koinadugu-Falaba District.
“If we talk about our personal lives, water is the foundation of our existence. The human body needs water for the day to day survival. We may be able to survive without any food for a whole week but without water, we won’t even survive for 3 days’, said Mr Foday Ladie Kuyateh a member of K-PAC at the launch of the project.
Research has shown that every year, over one billion people are harmed by waterborne illnesses worldwide, K-PAC intervention in providing clean water and sanitation will improve a lot of the community’s condition and the health of our people in Koinadugu-Falaba District.