Lynnfield Catholic Collaborative Funds Two Water Wells in Zambia

A release from the Lynnfield Catholic Collaborative:

LYNNFIELD – The first of two African water wells, funded by the parishioners of the Lynnfield Catholic Collaborative, is complete and providing clean, easily assessable water to a Zambian community.

For the past several summers, priests from the Society of African Missions (SMA), have come to Lynnfield to assist at St. Maria Goretti and Our Lady of the Assumption parishes. Through the friendships that have been built between parishioners and the visiting SMA priests, congregants learned of two Zambian communities’ desperate need for clean drinking water at locations that can be safely accessed by villagers.

Throughout this year’s Lenten season, the Lynnfield Catholic Collaborative’s social justice group, Justice for Jesus, led the parishes to collect donations to fund these water wells. The first well, located in St. Francis Kwama West, Zambia, is now up and pumping. The 16,000 inhabitants of that shanty compound have been barely surviving on the scarce supply provided by old, dried-up boreholes. Construction has begun on second well for the St. Peters Kansuswa community.

The lack of clean, accessible water has many consequences to individuals and to a community. In Africa, the job of collecting water from distant sources is primarily the burden of women and children which not only eliminates the opportunity for the children to attend school and the women to earn an income, but it also makes them more vulnerable to rape and human trafficking. When drinking water in unavailable through wells, it must be carried and stored in uncovered containers near the home, the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes that carry malaria. More than 90% of malaria cases and deaths worldwide occur in Africa, where it is among the five leading causes of death to children under the age of 5. At the end of last year, there was a devastating outbreak of cholera in the region causing illness and death to thousands, requiring markets and schools to close, and necessitating the suspension of church services.

To watch a video of the new water well being enjoyed by the St. Francis Kwama West community, click here.

Photos attached are courtesy of Fr. Cornelius Mukubi of the Society of African Missions.