Created in 2018, Aigua Mefet (“water for Mefet” in Catalan) aims to bring drinking water to Mefet, a village located far from everything, in western Cameroon.
The association recently held its general meeting in the Saint-Martin parish hall in Perpignan. The opportunity to take stock with Joseph-Marie Tsanang, a well-known priest for ten years in Saint-Martin and president of the association.
What should we remember from this general meeting?
This is a progress update on all the work carried out this year with our participation in the Water Festival, the creation of a new website with the possibility of making an online donation, bringing together new volunteers… We continue also to develop our network of donors, private sponsorship…
Where is the work on site?
The 35,000 liter intermediate reservoir to distribute water in the village and the technical room have been completed, as have the 5 kilometers of pipes and the installation of standpipes and a wash house in the center of the village. The last step concerns the purchase of a pumping system and the installation of dry toilets to be able to educate children about cleanliness. Within a year, we must finally be able to say that the water is flowing!
How does the local population react?
At first, she was rather reluctant, because she was disappointed by previous projects which did not come to fruition. And then through awareness raising, residents began to see the achievements and support them, under the leadership of the village chief who became a key factor in the success of the project. The entire village is mobilized and has formed a water management committee.
Did you think this project would take this long?
You should know that this is our first experience, we had to learn everything as we went along. Aigua Mefet was created and collects money in Perpignan and runs a remote project in Cameroon, it’s not easy. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Perpignan Méditerranée métropole and Véolia for their sponsorship from the beginning. It is clear that without their support, this project could not exist.
