Margibi County – Acute shortage of safe drinking water and poor sanitary conditions still remain a challenged in most rural communities across Liberia.
James Gboto, Nagbos town chief, told FrontPage Africa that residents of his town have been fetching water from uncovered wells and the bush for sanitation.
The town, Gboto said, has over 250 dwellers and is among several other towns in the area that lack access to basic water and sanitation facilities.
But the hope of the inhabitants of fetch water was often dash during the rainy season due to flood, prior to initial interventions by Red Cross.
At the same time, the Town Chief of Kpuzu Town, Philip Isaac recounted how dreadful it was for his people to fetch water from unsafe site.
According to him, Du-River, which passes through the area, was the only source of fetching water but inhabitants used the same water for latrine purposes or sometimes the bushes.
“Our people used to go all the way to the Du-River to get drinking water and if the water dries, we have to dig near us to get water,” he said.
“Red Cross came to help us, they gave us hand-pump and toilet and we tell them thanks for all the good they do for us because we don’t have anything to give them, but want for them to do more and more,” he said.
I did not have safe drinking water, that Red Cross makes me to be drinking safe water.
“Addressing the critical needs of affected people in the area will support and promote protection, dignity and enhance their resilience.” The exposure of this affected population to unfavorable conditions makes them highly susceptible to a number of health and livelihood challenges.