To Tackle Water Crisis: CAMBRIS-AF Donates Borehole To Bomaka Community, School

Pupils of ZINDATAL drinking clean water from CAMBRIS-AF donated borehole  

By Andrew Nsoseka

Cameroon British Soldiers and Armed Forces Association, best known by its acronym CAMBRIS-AF, has donated water to ZINDATAL Kindergarten and Primary School in Bomaka, and the Bomaka community in Buea.

The borehole, constructed by the association, was officially handed to the Bomaka community and ZINDATAL School on Saturday, October 8, 2022, by CAMBRIS-AF.

Speaking at the event, Ernest Moffo, who represented CAMBRIS-AF, said they aim to see everyone happy and, as such, they decided to solve one of Bomaka community’s core needs: water. He said CAMBRIS-AF hopes that the water will also help to bring Bomaka together as a community. He said they were inspired by the desire do something good for the community where they come from.

“We produced a magazine, which we sold in the UK, and a lot of people paid for the magazine; we organised an event where we raised money and with that money we have been able to carry out this project you see here today,” Moffo said.

On the choice of a water project for Bomaka, he said they discovered that there are problems of water scarcity as well as prevalence of water-borne diseases.

“This is because children and a lot of people in Africa and Cameroon have not got the right source of water to drink. We thought if we could give two things at once to the community. Children leave school, walk a distance to get water. But if you get water in the school, it is not only going to solve the problem of water shortage, but it is also going to make sure that they get a clean source of water, which will help in eliminating diseases, and saving their parents money from taking them to the hospital,” Moffo said.

Speaking at the event, Prof. Raymond Ngwa, Community Head, said clean water projects are welcomed in the community. He said, because of its issues with water, Bomaka was indexed for cholera when it hit communities in the Region. He said his community’s number one priority has always been water.

The Head Teacher of ZINDATAL Kindergarten and Primary School Bomaka, Dinga Delphine, said the water will immensely benefit her pupils who had to interrupt their learning sessions to fetch water from other places around the neighbourhood.

She said, before the borehole project, teachers and pupils had to go about looking for water. She said her pupils often returned dirty. “So it solves the problem of lack of water and also that of hygiene,” she said.

Before its water project in Bomaka, CAMBRIS-AF has been carrying out other projects in Cameroon and other places. When the COVID-19 pandemic was more prevalent, the association donated Personal Protective Equipment, PPE, to hospitals in Bamenda and the West Region. CAMBRIS-AF also supported some rehabilitation centres in Bamenda, providing food items, walking support to some compatriots with disabilities

The association says it recently carried out scholarship and career awareness webinar to share vital information to those interest back in Cameroon and around the world. The association’s works are not only limited to Cameroon. The association has also assisted some charitable organisations in the UK.