After years of having to trek long distances for water, the students and teachers of Wai District School in Lomawai, Nadroga, Fiji, now have easy access to clean water, after the completion of a new borehole and water storage facility at their school.
The F$18,000 water project is funded by Rotary Pacific Water for Life. The FIJI Water Foundation is a major corporate sponsor of Rotary Pacific’s work in Fiji, as part of FIJI Water’s commitment to providing all Fijians with access to clean water.
The school head teacher, Mrs Zarina Khan told The Jet Newspaper that the school had been facing water problems since its establishment in the 1920s.
Fiji Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed -Khaiyum meets with students from Wai District School. photo source: Fiji Ministry of Information
“We did not receive regular water supply at the school which posed many other problems for our students and teachers. We also have 45 students boarding at the school and they had to fetch water from nearby supply. We also had to bring water through trucks but now we are thankful for the assistance provided to us,” Khan said.
The official opening ceremony was attended by the Attorney General of Fiji, Mr. Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum, FIJI Water Global President David Ricanati, and Rokoseru Nabalarua, Chief Executive of Natural Waters of Viti Limited, the Fijian arm of FIJI Water. They were accompanied by the school’s 130 students and teachers.
Empowering Rural Fijians
Attorney General Sayed-Khaiyum said water projects like the Wai District School are important ways to empower people to have access to services. Before the water project was completed, students at the school had to wake up early in the morning to fetch water from neighboring villages.
“This is part and parcel of the infrastructure development that we want to put in place. We want to empower people. But a lot of these government initiatives also need the assistance of private companies. This is where such foundations of FIJI Water and Vodafone ATH Foundation assist Government in ensuring that people in the rural areas have access to services,” he said.
Rotary Pacific Water for Life is a non-profitable organization that delivers clean drinking water to rural communities throughout Fiji.
photos source: Fiji Ministry of Information
Highlights
