By Christie R. House
Over two years, despite the spread of COVID-19, United Methodists in Côte d’Ivoire worked diligently to bring clean water to four different villages. Along with the tall towers that hold the water and the parts for pumping stations, spigots for wash areas and, in some cases, a solar array for power – newly formed villages water committees received knowledge and new skills as well.
“The communities received this project with joy,” said the Rev. Dr. Jean Claude Masuka Maleka, a missionary and evangelist with Global Ministries who coordinated the water project.
The villages of Istha, Allangouanou, Soukoukro and Youhil, with tens of thousands of people in total, now come to draw clean water from their new systems. They used to draw water from contaminated rivers, streams and wells.
“A nurse from a village clinic told us that clean water has boosted health conditions overall, because she hasn’t seen as many cases of diarrhea since people started using water supplied from the tower,” Masuka Maleka confirmed.
