Even when they managed to buy some, people were sceptical about its cleanliness and safety. The cholera outbreak in 2023 intensified this fear. Parents worried each time their children drank the water. Illnesses increased, gardens failed, and families lost hope.
Mary, a 40-year-old resident and caregiver to ten dependents, remembers those days vividly. Five children, two grandchildren, and three orphaned children relied on her, and she could not guarantee clean water for them.
In 2024, life changed for Mary and her community when ForAfrika rehabilitated a borehole in Suurman, one of fifteen restored after the cholera outbreak. Residents had something they had long hoped for: reliable, clean water every single day. For Mary’s household and many others, this meant improved hygiene, restored dignity, and more time to focus on rebuilding their lives.
But water was only the beginning.
With support from the Swiss Embassy, ForAfrika went on to establish a thriving community garden in Suurman. Land that had once been dusty and barren soon burst into rows of seedlings. In September, community members, ForAfrika staff, and a representative from the Swiss Embassy gathered for a handover ceremony.
