Project provided funding for a new borewell, water tank and pump.

NEW ROCHELLE, NY (Nov. 28, 2022) More than 300 residents of the Kamakuti village in Kabwe, Zambia, have clean, fresh water thanks to the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative.” The project provided funding for a new borewell, water tank and pump in the village, which hosts one of the Salesian St. Mary’s Parish village chapels. Salesian Missions is the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

St. Mary’s Parish has four village chapels where priests meet people on a weekly basis for catechesis, prayers and sacraments. During the weekdays, the Salesian community utilizes these chapels for daily meetings and fellowship. Local women also use the chapels as meeting places and children’s preschools.

The villages lack basic services including water, proper sanitation and transportation. There is also a lack of education facilities for children, and people travel long distances to access a health center.

This is the first time this community has clean fresh water. Women and children will no longer have to travel a distance to bring back water to the village. Mr. Kasongo, a long-time village resident, could not believe that running water was now available. Another woman shouted, “Our children will live!” Children are often given the only water available from unsafe shallow wells, which can cause health complications that impede their growth.

“We appreciate our donors who have supported this water project,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Water projects in Zambia and around the globe ensure people coming to Salesian parishes, schools, and centers have access to the water they need. This brings a sense of hope and dignity to the people Salesians serve.”

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64 percent of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80 percent, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has also taken a devastating toll on Zambia’s children. There are 1.2 million children classified as orphaned and vulnerable by UNICEF, and these children struggle to find education, basic services and hope for their future.

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