Clean Water Access for Wekeke and Kareka Nduku, NTT

Clean Water Access for Wekeke and Kareka Nduku, NTT

Article
2nd September 2022

Clean water as our basic need for daily living is available in proper amount, even abundant in big cities. In contrary, people who live in some remote areas of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) find difficulties in getting clean water just for daily use, forcing them to walk through steep terrains in hours while carrying water containers. ACE as part of Kawan Lama Group cooperated with Solar Chapter providing clean water access for people of Wekeke and Kareka Nduku, NTT who live full of simplicity, and majority of their livelihood are farmers and ranchers.

Yoelius Saputra as Marketing General Manager of ACE said, “Clean water program in Wekeke and Kareka Nduku is ACE’s commitment as ‘The Helpful Place’ that offers solution for people in fulfilling their basic need. Hopefully this can help ease their daily routine, also enhance their welfare with agriculture and livestock. These programs are continuations of the previous ones in Biau and Fatoin, as ACE’s support to Sustainable Development Goals.” 

Wekeke Village in Malaka regency has 1,105 people occupying two hamlets. People needed to walk up to four kilometers for one trip in getting water near the river. Their regular activity gets harder every January to May, when the river overflows, hence fetching water comes with more risk. Water for Wekeke proram was undertaken at 7-11 August 2022. Water is pumped from the well using pumps powered by 19 solar panel plates, kept in container, then delivered to faucets near housings.

Followed at 12 to 15 August, Water for Kareka Nduku was undertaken. The village in West Sumba regency has 936 people occupying two hamlets, with majority of them are farmers and ranchers, all facing the same problem with people of Wekeke. Difficulty in getting clean water made them go through steep terrains even three times a day to water source location. The clean water program was undertaken by the same procedures. 

Yehusnawu, a traditional leader of Wekeke expressed, “This area is vast and dry. Before there is clean water access, getting clean water was hard, because we had to walk more than one hour through steeps. We had been longing for having our own clean water source, so we don’t have to use filtered river water anymore for bath, drink, and clothes wash. We are grateful with this clean water access that can bring change, help us grow vegetables to enhance economy.”

“Clean water program by ACE in cooperation with Solar Chapter is our effort in making people of East Nusa Tenggara’s hope come true, especially they who face challenges just for getting clean water for daily use. We hope through this sustainable clean water access, people’s welfare becomes better. Let’s always be wise in using clean water,” said Melinda Pudjo, Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Communication & Sustainability of Kawan Lama Group. 

ACE started facilitating clean water access program in 2021, at the year there were Water for Biau – undertaken in January, providing clean water access to 782 people, followed by Water for Fatoin in September, providing clean water access to 786 people.