It has been years since Yalu village – which is one of the six Ahi villages in Morobe – had running water.
The Yalu bore water project, valued at K245,762, was opened on Saturday, May 13th, by the Ahi Hope Foundation, Ahi Prudential Development and village elders.
Woman leader, Ngawi Buno, said they used to have running water from a dam until around three years ago when youths in the village damaged some pipes.
“Pasin blo bikhet na ol i katim wara na bagarapim wara,” she said. (Because of misbehaviour and our water supply was damaged.)
“Nau mipla stap nating. Nogat wara i kam nau, 2023, em mipla kisim wara nau. (We lived without it until 2023.)
“Mi hamamas bikos pastem, mi sidaun na mi pilim had lo bai mi kisim wara we na mi dring na mi waswas na mi kaikai long em. Na nau, mi lukim olsem wara em kam klostu lo haus dua na mi lukim wara ron lo tep na mi hamamas bikpla stret.” (I am happy because in the past, I found it difficult to access water to drink, wash and eat. I am overjoyed that water has been brought right to my doorstep.)
Normally, the villagers fetch water from three different natural water sources – which are at least 10 minutes away.
Ngawi’s husband, 85-year-old Buno Som, was one of the men who had built the dam for Yalu.
“The water table is high and with this running water, I am very happy,” he said.
“In this village of Yalu, I built the dam at Asi in 1995.”
The Yalu bore water project is part of the ‘2023 priority programs and projects’ of Ahi Hope Foundation, funded through Ahi Investment Limited’s K2.5 million dividend, which was paid to Ahi Prudential Development Limited on the evening of April 22nd.
The project included the installation of a water pump, two tanks and 20 taps around the village, which is located in the Wampar Rural LLG, in Huon Gulf district.
This is only the first phase. The second phase will include the connection of more taps.