Cameroon:

Reborn and Rising, IPW Commissions Water Station Restoration Project
By Boris Esono in Buea

Mrs Ren-ùe Dugu-ù, Reborn and Rising (USA), Ruth Bisong and others stand at the rehabilitated tap for the Long street community in Buea

Investing in People Worldwide (IPW), Cameroon, in partnership with Reborn and Rising have commissioned a water station restoration project aimed at restoring the dilapidated public tap in long street, Small Soppo, Buea, South West Region of Cameroon.
    For the past one year, the community has been unable to fetch water in the tap due to various issues. The unavailability of water had made the community to move to other areas to get water which has not been easy for them. The people in this neighbourhood complained about constant water shortage but have been unable to get water due to lack of maintenance.
    “This was not the plan for Reborn and Rising when I came here. I came to support IPW what they are doing. But it was only when I saw the need, it was something I could do to assist what the community is already working for and it just torched me,” Mrs Renėe Duguė from Reborn and Rising (USA) said.
    “I am an advocate for water, and it is a running theme in my life. It was just important for me to see a need and do what I could do, and this is what Reborn and rising going to do in Cameroon.”
    She added: “There is no other organization in the world that assists black and brown boys who are child homicide survivors beyond the grieving period, phase. That is what we want to do and that is what we are doing.”
    On what Reborn and Rising has a project for Cameroon, Mrs Renėe Duguė said, “In Cameroon this is going to be our thing. I have made a connection with the engineer of the project, and I am so inspired to do such project at least three more times this year, and four times every year beyond that.”
    To Ruth Besong Abunaw, Director IPW, this project came as a result of the need in the community that the water system was not flowing properly, and the meter had a hole, and which was draining the water making it impossible for it to come out in a high volume.
    The tap is an important point for most residents in the community to fetch clean drinking water. Often, people spend a considerable time waiting to fetch water due to the population — at times people even leave without even getting drinking water.

    “The project was solely sponsored by Reborn and Rising as they did all the maintenance, and changes that needed to be done. New faucets have been installed and a drainage system has been dug for the water to go directly in to the pit to avoid runoff for mosquitoes and other small insects as breeding grounds, Ruth Besong said.”
    With respect to maintenance which is usually the issue with most rehabilitation works in Cameroon, Ruth Besong did indicate that as a means of ensuring sustainability “a water user committee has been created, and this committee is made up of five inhabitants who reside in the area. They will ensure that the structure is rehabilitated if it needs minor maintenance, and also involve in taking care of the water.”

Background
    Reborn and Rising: Reborn means Renėe in French and Rising, and we assist minority black, and brown boys who are child homicide survivals — so boys who have lost their parent, a parent or caretaker to murder. My son lost his father at 10 years-old to murder, and we struggle, and we want to give back.
    IPW: Investing in People Worldwide, Cameroon is a Non-governmental community-based organization involve in sustainable development. It aims at building resilient communities in which women, girls, and youths engage in sustainable development activities to attain their full potentials.