I don’t remember when exactly, but there were a number of protests about illegal mining in Ghana last year. And while the protesters wanted to be very peaceful about it, the policemen responsible for ensuring the safety of the protesters ended up arresting some of them.
I’m not even here to talk about the arrest, so let’s focus on the reason for the protest. In Ghana, one of the resources we’re heavily blessed with is water. We have so many water bodies that serve so many purposes. There many communities in this country that solely depend on open water sources for survival.
But this was the case where illegal mining activities called galamsey were seriously polluting the water bodies. The same water bodies that were serving as sources of water for so many communities. It was a very devastating moment for Ghanaians and other communities.
And the annoying part was that it’s not like the government was even providing boreholes for the communities like HiveGhana has been doing. But they were rather destroying what they already had. Many people in the cities were very nonchalant about this issue because they thought they were far from experiencing a water crisis until it started affecting them too.
Sometimes when I think about these issues, I’m just glad that mcsamm and collinz thought about such an impactful initiative to contribute change by providing water wells for communities.(not forgetting all other sponsors of this project) If not, how would marginalized communities that have no hope survive?
Because the government isn’t even ready to solve the issue, and the last time I checked, most of the people behind the illegal mining were even people in power.
So just imagine going to the same people in power to help you solve an issue they are creating for their own benefit. Something that is bringing money into their pockets. The one thing they never stop saying is that they are working on it, but we all know they are just working on making more money from the harm they are already causing.
It’s always heartwarming to see the smiles on people’s faces after the conclusion of a borehole project. As a citizen of this country who knows what’s going on, I know these are not just mere smiles, but a sign that hope has been restored. The impact these projects have on communities are more than what we see in pictures. If women and children had to walk miles to fetch polluted water, they now have access to clean water nearby.
If children were missing school as a result of getting sick from polluted water, a borehole means no more health problems and no more missing of school hours.
I could go on and on, but this is just to tell you all that, the hive borehole projects are actually doing more than we even see here. It’s something for the people to hold on to and also know that all hope is never lost.
Images are owned by mcsamm and the hive borehole projects in Ghana.