Red Cross 'rescues' Gweta, Nata floods victims

UYAPO KGOSI
Correspondent | Tuesday April 22, 2008 00:00

Floods devastated the three villages that lie on a saltpan early this year, with Gweta being particularly hard hit.   The floodwaters destroyed homes and contaminated rivers and stream from which villagers get their potable water.

The borehole at Gweta, which supplies the village with underground water was polluted when its sewerage pond was flooded. The borehole has been temporarily closed and the  village in the interim supplied with clean water by bowsers from Tutume, the region's administrative centre. 

But when bowsed water runs out, desperate villagers resort to drawing water from polluted streams, thus putting their health at risk.
It is because of this that local officials have welcomed the Red Cross's sterling efforts.

 
With the help of their Botswana Police Service counterparts, the Botswana Red Cross Society team distributed Water Maker purification tablets (170, 000 sachets) and 2,260 pieces of Jerry cans (20 litres) donated by the Belgian Red Cross.   Twenty packets of water purification sachets (5g) and two Jerry cans were also allotted to each beneficiary.

  
BRC's officer Sthamiso Moritshane explained that one 5g sachet purifies 20 litres of water.   She said it makes all naturally polluted water safe for drinking, washing and cooking. It also removes colours like tannins from water, she added.   Her colleague,  Motlamedi Mokgosi, took residents of the three villages through all the water purification processes.

 
Mokgosi explained that first, one has to tear the Water Maker packet, and then put the powder into a bucket of water, measuring 20 litres.   The second stage is to stir the water with a stick. Thirdly, one has to wait for 15 minutes after stirring.  After 15 minutes the gems are killed and the dirt will have settled at the bottom.  

'Fourthly, pour this water through a clean cloth into another 20 litre container.'   The water will now be clean and safe for drinking.  The purified water is to be stored in 20 litres Jerry can.

 
Residents of the three villages were advised to store the sachets safely and away from the reach of children.   District Officer Louis Mlilo, who spoke at the Gweta Kgotla advised residents not to exchange or sell the items donated to them by the Red Cross. Residents of the three villagers were further advised to form a disaster preparedness committee so that they can always mobilise themselves in times of crisis.
However, Moritshane said the overall campaign was a Successful, as residents had been cooperative.

She said the next phase of their campaign would be to distribute shelter kits (600 pieces);tarpaulins (1,200 pieces); blankets (600 pieces) and mosquito nets (600 pieces) as part of the items donated by the Belgian Red Cross.

  
Meanwhile, the situation at Zoroga was more peculiar as majority of the residents who gathered at this sleepy village's Kgotla were excited at first when the Red Cross team arrived.  They expected to be given food.

 
'We want food,' a villager declared gloomily.  But upon hearing that the Red Cross was there to distribute water purification items, their expressions changed.  Some left the Kgotla, grumbling while others just stood there with long faces. Zoroga is largely San, the majority of whom live in abject poverty and squalor.