by Osmond Mugweni (ELP 2008)
The Africa 2000 Network has identified an area with a lot of underground fresh water that is between 5 - 15 meters in Wards 23 and 25 of Chipinge District in Manicaland Province (Zimbabwe) through its Participatory Development Management Programme. This was through drilling four of the six boreholes funded by the Japanese Embassy. The four borehole yields are extremely good (data seen below). There are a total of ten villages in this zone (four in Ward 23 and six in Ward 25 with a total population of about 5000 households. Africa 2000 Network can develop a Holistic development recovery that covers ten community irrigation schemes (one in each village), individual deep well schemes for 1000 households (100 in each village); a sanitation programme for family and group toilets at community schemes and individual family toilets as well as income generating programmes through well diggers and other related irrigation projects with a Holistic Land and Livestock Restoration of Land and Natural Water Sources Programme. The time frame can be three years. Funding is needed for this. For further information on this project, email Osmond at os.mugweni@gmail.com. Sites of New Boreholes Drilled in 2011 in support by the Embassy of Japan:
- 1. Takunda A Ward 23 (BH A) Borehole Depth 50mtrs; Water Level 15mtrs; & Estimated Yield (Gallons Per Hour=GPH) 1050GPH or 1.3125 l/s
- Takunda Ward 23 (BH B adjacent to irrigation Block) Borehole Depth 50mtrs; Water Level 7mtrs; & Estimated Yield (Gallons Per Hour=GPH) 1700GPH or 2.125 l/s
- Chimurenga Ward 23 Borehole Depth 50mtrs; Water Level 5mtrs; & Estimated Yield (Gallons Per Hour=GPH) 600GPH or 0.75 l/s
- Mupawaneta Ward 25 Borehole Depth 50mtrs; Water Level 6mtrs; & Estimated Yield (Gallons Per Hour=GPH) 1200GPH or 1.50 l/s