World Water Day 2017

Dertig Manager Nkosi Ndebele tells us why she celebrates World Water Day.

I celebrate World Water Day because I appreciate the role played by water in our day to day lives. I highly recognize the vital and often unappreciated role water has, and reflect on how important it is that we continue to be part of efforts that will someday ensure that everyone has access to this precious resource. It is our responsibility as stakeholders in the water sector to make a difference in the water quality and water quantity situation affecting arid and semi arid areas. Working at the PureMadi Dertig Filter Facility has been worthwhile as I get to work with individuals that share the same vision as me, that of improving the drinking water quality of disadvantaged communities.

After an interesting two week training facilitated by the Mukondeni Facility Liaison Officer and Potter, Boas and Masindi respectively (February 2017), the women at the Dertig Filter Facility have become so eager to make their own ceramic water filters. They are very excited and happy about their involvement in an endeavour to alleviate water quality challenges in their area. We have since been working on trial exercises to get the perfect type of clay as well as the correct clay:sawdust proportions. It has been a very interesting journey because we get to learn new things everyday.

In the near future, we will be working on the distribution of ceramic water filters in schools and to the Dertig community members and to the larger city of Hammanskraal. School children are more vulnerable to waterborne illnesses and because children spend most of their day at school, ensuring that safe drinking water is available in these settings is a fundamental public health measure. I strongly believe that PureMadi will positively contribute to the eradication of waterborne diseases in the Dertig and Hammanskraal area!!!