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As drought threatens Mukumbura as a result of the most extreme El Nino effect in 75 years , the HALO Zimbabwe programme has been working with the local community to ensure the availability of clean water for drinking and livestock.

In 2016, Zimbabwe has experienced extensive drought as a result of the El Nino effect. In HALO鈥檚 current area of operations in north east Zimbabwe this has resulted in a severe lack of drinking water, extensive failure of staple crops, and death and disease amongst valuable livestock.

HALO鈥檚 staff stay in semi-permanent tented camps during the work cycle which have no running water, and use generators for off-grid power. These camps need a daily supply of water for drinking and washing, which is collected from local boreholes. Water is also critical to operations as it is used to soften the sun-baked ground in order to excavate safely; if excessive force is used to scrap through the ground, the deminer risks inadvertently detonating a mine.

Due to the drought and a lack of community funds to maintain boreholes and wells, the few working water sources are enormously over-subscribed. In the nearby village of Chigango, a windmill was built to feed a 12,000 litre tank for drinking water and a dip tank for cattle. However, it has been broken since 2013, and the village have not had the means to repair it.

The windmill is on the opposite side of the road to Chigango Primary and Secondary Schools. The secondary school鈥檚 borehole has also broken, which means that currently the local community (estimated by the village head at 1,000 people), the secondary school (400 students), and the primary school (800 students), are all reliant on one borehole originally built to service the primary school only.

Due the drought, the area has been receiving food aid from the World Food Programme, and Chigango Primary School has been the focal point for aid registration and delivery. World Vision are also currently working in the area to ensure there are adequate water supplies for livestock.

In February 2016, HALO assisted with rehabilitation of the windmill for community use. The required parts were purchased by HALO in Harare and transported to Chigango. A coordination meeting was arranged with WorldVision, who have had a long term presence in the area working on water projects, who recommended local water technician, Bandimba. Bandimba was trained by WorldVision three years previously as part of a project to allow communities to maintain their own water sources. HALO liaised with the Councillor alongside Bandimba, and the Village Chief, Lackson Chimururi, to secure the assistance of the local community to provide the necessary labour and HALO mechanics leant their tools to Bandimba. The rod at the base of the windmill was also damaged so WorldVision provided this part from their stores, and final repairs were made by sealing any leaks with resin and packing.

Bandimba, assisted by the local labour, first fixed the windmill itself by replacing the broken shaft and bearings. When the community labour was insufficient to pull the final part into place through a series of pulleys, HALO deminers offered their help in the afternoon following work in the minefield. Once the windmill was fixed, the pipes to the water tank in the school yard and to the dip tank were repaired and a gate valve put in place to allow the stream of water to the dip tank to be cut off whenever the drinking water tank needed to be prioritise. The responsibility for this handle was passed to the village elder who lives next to the windmill. The tank was extremely dirty following such a long time out of use. HALO first allowed it to fill and then drained the dirty water to be used for operations in the minefield, and the school offered to clean the tank to prepare it for drinking and washing purposes again.

HALO would like to thank the Councillor, Village Chief, and local community for their support, and the local WorldVision Office for their generosity, time and technical expertise. The project will not only provide water for the community, the local schools, and HALO鈥檚 staff, but will also expedite safe demining activities.

The day after handing over the responsibilities for the gate valve to the village elders, 10,000 litres of water were drawn from the tank.