ZCCM-IH has handed over a solar-powered water borehole to the Kamwesha Community of Rufunsa District. The water borehole which is equipped with a solar powered pump and a 10, 000 litre tank will be used by the artisanal gold panners and surrounding households in the area. This is part of an initiative between ZCCM-IH and Zambia Gold Company Ltd aimed at ensuring artisanal gold panners have consistent water supply for gold processing purposes during the off-rainy season when streams dry out.  There are 4 gold panning cooperatives in the area with a total of 100 members.

The water borehole is also being utilised by over 23 nearby house holds, who have since started planting vegetable gardens near the borehole that is equipped with 3 water taps at different collection points. The households used to travel 5-10 km to draw water from a stream in the hills of the mountainous Kamwesha area.   

The commissioned water borehole system has in no doubt changed the lives of the local community and will go a long way in improving the activities and production of the artisanal gold miners in the area.

The water borehole is one of the three boreholes drilled in Rufunsa District, as part of our ‘Clean water for Zambia’ CSR project which started in 2017 and aimed at providing access to safe and clean water to the far-flung areas.  The project has since reached various communities around the country including Sinda, Petauke, Dudumwezi, Chilanga, Lufwanyama, Ndola, Masaiti, Mungwi, Mpika, Nyimba, Vubwi, Chongwe and Kaoma districts.