By Tokpa Tarnue- tarnue82@gmail.com
Voinjama, Liberia- The lack of basic social services is still a serious challenged in rural Liberia, with Massamia town in Voinjama district, Lofa County being no exception.
With a population of close to 500 inhabitants, Massamia town currently lack safe drinking water. In fact, the two hand pumps in this place are not functional, ever since they were damaged five years ago.
This town also lacks sanitary facilities such as toilet as well as education and health facilities. These are in addition to the deplorable road condition.
According to town Chief David B. Korvah, one of the damaged pumps was constructed by Action Farm and the other by the citizens themselves.
Out of the five hundred inhabitances, 70% are said to be women and children who are mostly affected by the current sanitation situation facing the town.
A nearby stream to the town is being used for fetching drinking water and at the same time washing of cloths, while next door in the bushes, people use the place for defecating due to the lack of toilet facilities.
This situation, many of the women said, is responsible for the increase in diarrhea and running stomach cases, especially among the children.
“We spend more of our money on treatment at the Vazala health center for our children only because of the contaminated water that we drink every day,” Chairlady Weedor Jallah disclosed.
Madam Jallah also said that most children of school age are often forced to go to the farms due to their inability to walk from Massamia to Vazala for school, due to the distance.
“The provision of maybe a daycare school will be a great help to those of our children,” she told journalists.
Chairlady Weedor Jallah said interventions by central government and other humanitarians will be highly appreciated by the Massamia town.