By Promise Dube
Villagers in Insiza South district have pooled resources to desilt three dams clogged with mud.
Ezweni Moyo, the project spokesperson, revealed that Msengezane Dam in Mabuze Village (Ward 5), Makoshe Dam in Mbaulo Village (Ward 7), and Ndlegu Dam in Singwambidzi have been successfully excavated.
Villagers contributed $3 per household, raising $911 in total. This effort was bolstered by diaspora community members, who donated 37 000 rands. The funds were divided among the three dams to ensure all were addressed.
“There were additional donations that came in during the project,” Moyo said.
He explained that machinery was hired from David K., a local resident of West Nicholson, at $140 per hour. In a gesture of goodwill, David contributed three extra hours of work for each dam at no charge.
“We budgeted for seven hours per dam, but David generously added three more hours, so we only had to buy fuel,” Moyo shared.
Each dam received 10 hours of work, though Moyo noted that more could have been done if the budget had allowed. The revitalised dams are expected to serve various needs, including watering domestic animals, brick moulding, and fishing.
Initially, the project faced skepticism from villagers, but support grew once they understood the long-term benefits of removing silt to increase water retention.
The initiative wasn’t without challenges, as poor network connectivity made coordination difficult, forcing organisers to fund in-person meetings themselves.
Moyo stressed the importance of regular dam maintenance to prevent future siltation.
“Don’t wait for the dams to dry out,” he urged.
