- Advocacy Officer for ACA says water is a human necessity and not a business venture
- Founder of CWASAF notes that water is life and needs to be protected
By Ikome Christie-Noella Eposi in Buea
Under the theme “Accelerating Change”, the African Center for Advocacy in partnership with the Clean Water and Sanitation Africa have created positive impacts in the Bokwai community, Buea town and other communities in Buea as they mobilized some youth volunteers in Buea to clean-up water sources in commemoration of the world water day 2023.
The clean-up activity which took place this Wednesday March 22 2023 in Buea saw the non-governmental organizations and their members come out in their numbers to give the day the grandeur it deserved and to demonstrate the importance of consuming clean water.
The Advocacy Officer for the African Center for Advocacy, Sandra Ndang in an interview with The Sun Newspaper stated that celebration of the World Water Day is geared towards accelerating change. “We are fighting for the change that we want to see in the future, we are fighting for the change in our water system so that is why we are here today at the Bokwai community to clean the water catchment here because we noticed that it is hardly been taken care of and for us to fight for change we have to start by making sure that our water environment is clean and accessible for all its users”.
Still on the line of accelerating change she added that, ACA has also been advocating for a ‘no to privatization of water’. “We realized that when foreign entities take over our water, it becomes expensive for us and sometimes the quality of the water is not assured because it is a business for them. So we are advocating for water being a human necessity and not a business venture.
“We all should ensure that we have clean water sources. For those who have boreholes, treat them well. Those with wells, dig them in environments that are clean and not harmful to us and for those who cannot afford a water filter at home, use the cotton method with a funnel to be able to get good water which will enable us combat diseases like cholera” Sandra Ndang advised. etc.
According to Sam Nloin Sukpa, the Founder and Executive Director of Clean Water and Sanitation Africa, most water sources are always littered. “So in order for us to accelerate change, we had to come up with this clean-up campaign around our water sources and also to work with our communities. The water catchment was heavily affected by the flood that recently hit Buea and a lot of waste was accumulated at the main water source. So it was incumbent for us to clean the area in commemoration of the world water day”. He revealed.
With a mission of putting people first, the African Center for Advocacy is a non-profit organization founded in Cameroon in 2015 which promotes equal access to basic services, empowers citizens, and strengthens civil society as well as influence policies. The development oriented organization focuses on water and sanitation, climate change, good health and well-being and good governance in implementing the sustainable development goals.
Having the community at heart, the Buea-based NGO, Clean Water and Sanitation Africa aims at ensuring proper hygiene and sanitation as well as environmental protection and community development. Created in 2017, the non-profit organization has carried out multiple advocacy programs, clean-up campaigns and on-campus sensitization programs.