Wells of Hope: Rotary Clubs bring water to thirsty communities; Amenamu and Nkyensie

In Amenamu, a small farming community in Ejura Sekyeredumase, the ground is dry. Families have struggled for years to find water. They dig trenches into streambeds, hoping for a miracle. Every drop of water is shared with animals and often contaminated.

Local elder Abubakari Yakubu speaks about their struggles. “Upstream, they dump waste,” he says. “We drink it anyway because we have no choice.” His words reflect the hardships faced by over 500 residents in this village.

The consequences of this situation are severe. Residents suffer from typhoid, eye infections, skin diseases, and pregnancy losses due to contaminated water. “My people are sick,” Yakubu laments. “But how do we stop drinking when there’s nothing else?”

Young Hakeem Alhassan recalls fetching water after school. Some days he walked up to six kilometers. “I didn’t like being sent,” he admits. “I wanted to play and read, but the water had to come first.”

Bawa Kunde is the Assemblyman for Amenamu. He states that the water situation is dire in the area. “No one has clean water here,” he explains. Cattle pollute what little water exists, leading to diseases like typhoid fever.

Bawa has sought help but has seen little progress. “I have written to authorities for so long,” he says sadly. “But here we are with no support.”

However, hope has arrived in Amenamu through a new collaboration. The Rotary Club of Turlock (California), Rotary Club of Accra West (Ghana), and local NGO Meaning Life International have provided a borehole—Amenamu's first reliable source of clean drinking water.

Randy Fiorini from the Rotary Club shares his experience visiting Ghana in 2016. He saw a stark contrast between life at home and in Amenamu. "What Rotary has done here will change lives," he says.

Each borehole costs $9,500 and symbolizes restored dignity for the community. A local water management committee will maintain the new system to ensure it remains functional.

Professor Kwame Aquaah from Rotary Club of Accra West emphasizes their mission: providing safe drinking water where it's needed most. Eight boreholes are planned across various regions in Ghana.

For Yakubu and his family, digging in dry earth may soon be over as they embrace this new beginning.