In the small village of Lutenge, located in the Miombo forest and separated from the Kinsevere mine site by the Kifumanshi River, water is a precious resource.

Inhabited by about 250 households and located eight kilometres north from Kinsevere, Lutenge is an exclusively farming village that lacks basic infrastructure such as running water, telephone, electricity, schools and health facilities.

In 2017, Kinsevere’s Social Development team held consultation and planning sessions as part of their community development project. The team met with the Lutenge Community Development Committee which expressed the need to establish a water point in their village. MMG was then able to fund the drilling of a borehole and the installation of a water pump.

The subsoils of the area around the mine are rich in water tables. Prior to commencing installation works, Kinsevere commissioned geophysical research to determine the exact locations of high water flow. The drilling was then completed by one of the mine’s contractor companies who hired local village residents to complete the project.

The new community water pump was inaugurated on 1 June 2018 in a community ceremony involving joyful female dancers.

The borehole is equipped with a manual pump and surrounded by a trough, a washing slab and waste water well for convenience of local residents.

“We believe that bringing drinking water here and supplying the population with quality water is a sustainable way to fight waterborne diseases;  and at the same time to significantly reduce the enormous workload of carrying water  – especially for women and children who are doing water chores every day,” said Michel Santos, Social Development Manager.

In line with Kinsevere’s community water project, a Water Management Committee was established at Lutenge. The committee is responsible for maintenance and repair in the event of pump failure.

Water is essential for life and therefore the installation of water pumps in villages like Lutenge is reason for celebration, especially during a dry season where good water is hard to come by.