By Anthony Adongo Apubeo/Lawrence Awuni, GNA
Widnaba (U/E), Dec. 1, GNA – The Meta Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has constructed and handed over two solar-powered mechanised boreholes to the Tarikom and Widnaba communities in the Bawku West District.
In addition to the solar-powered mechanised boreholes, an overhead polytank and 1.5 acres of land had been installed and fenced respectively in each of the communities to support women and youth in the beneficiary communities to engage in dry season vegetable production.
The gesture aims at helping address challenges related to access to potable water, supporting farming activities, particularly small ruminants and dry-season vegetable production, and strengthening social cohesion between host communities and asylum seekers in the border areas.
The initiative formed part of the “Improving Economic Resilience of Host Communities for Peacebuilding in Northern Ghana” project, funded by the United States Department of State through the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the UNDP.
The project, implemented locally by the Meta Foundation, is being rolled out in the Bawku West District, Bongo, and other selected areas.
The main objective of the project is to strengthen economic livelihoods and foster peaceful coexistence between refugees and their host communities through social interventions and infrastructure support.
At short ceremonies held to commission the facilities at Tarikom and Widnaba, Dr David Azupogo, Executive Director of the Meta Foundation, expressed gratitude to the UNDP, IOM, and the U.S. government for their support, adding that the project would help address the water crisis in the beneficiary communities.
He emphasised that water is a critical resource for domestic and agricultural activities, and that challenges in accessing water have the potential to create tension between host communities and refugees.
“We hope that these boreholes will help improve livelihoods by supporting farmers to venture into dry season farming and vegetable production, which will contribute to enhancing household food and nutritional security,” he said.
As part of the project interventions, the beneficiary communities have been supported with various livelihood initiatives and start-up packages to improve the economic situation of vulnerable groups.
According to Dr Azupogo, the project has supported vulnerable groups with weaving machines, training in detergent and milk production, small ruminant rearing (goats and pigs), vegetable farming, dressmaking, phone repairs, shea processing, and rice processing.
In addition, women’s groups in the communities have been introduced to savings mobilisation, a rural banking system aimed at enhancing economic empowerment in rural areas.
“We have also focused on skills development and market linkages for youth in both host communities and refugee populations, and we believe that stronger partnerships will continue to build resilient communities,” he added.
Ms Melody Azinim, Peace and Governance Analyst at UNDP, said the provision of the water facilities followed an initial community engagement, which revealed that access to water was the most pressing challenge in the area.
She urged the communities to maintain the facilities to ensure their longevity, adding, “We need to live in peace and not allow what happened in neighbouring countries to happen here, where people are forced to flee for refuge.”
Alhaji Zakaria Fuseini, the Upper East Regional Director of the Department of Agriculture, commended the Meta Foundation and its partners for the gesture, noting that it would boost domestic water use and agricultural activities. He urged the communities to adopt a maintenance culture to ensure the sustainability of the facilities.
Leaders of the beneficiary communities expressed gratitude for the project, noting that it would help reduce competition for limited community resources—including water—and strengthen the peace and social cohesion currently existing between host communities and refugees.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Kenneth Odeng Adade