For many years, residents of Akwamu-Pesse in the Asuogyaman District of the Eastern Region have struggled with severe water challenges, impacting not only their health but also their economic well-being.
The lack of potable water led to the outbreak of Guinea worm infestation.
The situation has now changed as part of Hydro Cooperative Credit Union’s Cooperative Social Responsibility Impact projects.
Akwamu-Kpesse is one of many towns in the Asuogyaman district of the Eastern region with a high poverty rate and limited access to credit, hindering its economic self-reliance.
The lack of certain basic social facilities has, over the years, contributed to increasing health risks and poor economic reliance.
Residents, however, can now heave some sigh of relief following the sinking of a mechanized borehole water system by Hydro Cooperative Credit Union in fulfillment of a request by the Adontenhemaa of the area, Abrewa Antwiwaa.
Otwasuom Osae Nyampong VI, the Kamenahene of Akwamu, expressed content with the provision of the water system.
“We depended on streams for water sources; there are a lot of diseases which are waterborne, but when you have a borehole, it eradicates or eliminates all the water-borne diseases… so indeed we are grateful to the credit union because they’ve taken away a big chunk of our worries,” he stated
Due to the provision of the mechanized water system, community folks will no longer travel long distances looking for water for domestic and economic use.
At the commissioning of the facility, chairperson of the Interim Management Committee at Hydro Credit Union, Vivian Mantey, stated that the union is committed to supporting underserved communities by bridging their social and economic gap.
“It is our responsibility to see their needs and bridge those gaps, so we decided to help the community with this project to give them health,” she said
A former board chairman, Joseph Asare Keteku, said the Hydro Credit Union values the importance of corporate social responsibility and hence will continue to execute more projects in catchment communities.
“Our corporate social responsibility is one of our cardinal principles, which the Hydro Cooperative Credit Union holds dear, and over the years we’ve been able to support our communities in terms of education, health, and community amenities.”
“Since the inception of this union, we have sustained our CSR. We started in 1971, and year by year, if you look at our financial reports, you will see the components of expenditure in terms of CSR,” he explained