On the 7th day of July 2025, history was not just made, it was reborn in the heart of the Tolon District.
The air in the Botingli community, once filled with echoes of hardship, now resounds with the gushing of clean, life-giving water from a mechanized borehole system.
This monumental moment was made possible through the fully funded intervention of the Ross Family Viva Foundation Corp USA, under the bold leadership of Nick Ross, in partnership with PAMEPI Women in Tech Ghana.
Chief Yakubu Fuseini, Executive Director of PAMEPI Women in Tech Ghana, shared his profound joy, stating, “The smiles on the faces of the Botingli people today are a testament to what collaborative effort can achieve.
“We urge you to utilize this mechanized water system to its fullest potential for improved health, education, and economic empowerment.
PAMEPI Women in Tech will continue to support communities like Botingli in the capacity we can, because every life matters.”
This mechanized water system is a game-changer, making access to clean, safe water easier than ever before.
Unlike traditional hand pumps that demand significant physical effort to draw water, this system allows the community to access water effortlessly, simply by turning a tap.
The community’s gratitude for this newfound ease and abundance cannot be overstated; it is a blessing beyond measure.
The Botingli story Located just 6 km from Tolon township and 31.7 km from Tamale, Botingli is home to over 1,445 hardworking men, women, and children who have long suffered the crushing effects of water scarcity.
300 children, mostly primary school pupils, often missed classes due to waterborne diseases or because they spent hours fetching unsafe water.
Women and girls, the backbone of the village, trekked miles daily carrying gallons of contaminated water, losing precious time, energy, and opportunities.
Farmers, dependent on rain-fed agriculture, watched their crops fail due to a lack of water for irrigation.
This wasn’t just an inconvenience; it was an erosion of health, dignity, and potential.
A Breakthrough Against All Odds: Water brought to the people.
Following an extensive geological survey, it was discovered that the most viable water source lay not within the immediate village, but in a nearby forestry area.
This presented a crucial decision: leave the people to trek, or bring the water to them?
The choice was clear.
With unwavering commitment, approximately 200 meters of pipes were meticulously laid, channeling this precious resource directly into the heart of Botingli.
The mechanized system ensures a consistent and reliable water supply, alleviating the daily struggle of fetching water, reducing the incidence of waterborne diseases, and enabling better hygiene and sanitation for all.
Voices of Gratitude: Leaders and community speak
The commissioning ceremony was a testament to collective joy and profound gratitude.
Seidu Braimah, the District Chief Executive (DCE) of Tolon, expressed his deepest appreciation to PAMEPI Women in Tech and the Ross Family Viva Foundation, especially for funding such critical initiatives in areas where poverty is deeply entrenched.
He emphasised how this project addresses a major challenge for communities in desperate need of support to improve their farming yields and secure more productive harvests.
Ali Alhassan Karim, the Assemblyman for Botingli, echoed sentiments of immense relief and happiness. His voice, filled with emotion, highlighted the plight of the women, “Our women have suffered so much because of water.
Traveling for miles for unclean water has been their daily torment. Our children drop out of school, some becoming ‘kayayo’ (young girls carrying heavy loads for tokens) in Accra, others becoming scrap dealers, living in dire conditions.
“Those who remain often miss school for weeks to help on farms, losing out on crucial education. Our women, poor and idle, have nothing to sell because their farm produce is barely enough for survival.”
He proudly shared how, through community engagement, they managed to build a one-block school with mud and self-funding, a testament to their resilience. While expressing immense gratitude, he also voiced concern that sharing this vital water with four other communities might strain its output, underscoring the high demand for this precious resource.
A Day of Celebration: The power of presence
The commissioning took place on July 7, 2025, a significant market day in Botingli.
Yet, the community, especially the women, chose to forgo their daily trade. They gathered in multitudes, their faces beaming with relief and hope, to witness this
monumental change.
Their presence was a powerful declaration: clean water was more valuable than any market earnings that day. They were grateful, happy, and profoundly relieved.
This is Just the Beginning: A call to action
While Botingli celebrates this miraculous intervention, their journey is far from over. The community and countless others like it still face formidable challenges that require continued support.
We urge partners, donors, and changemakers to join us in addressing these critical needs:
- Capital for Farming: Botingli has acres of fertile land, yet farmers can only cultivate a fraction due to a lack of capital and access to tractors and inputs. Agricultural investment can unlock their vast potential.
- Livestock Development: Most families possess only a single goat, reflecting severe economic constraints. Supporting livestock development will improve food security and income.
- Food Scarcity: Despite being a farming community, food insecurity remains a pressing issue closely tied to agricultural limitations.
- Education Access: The community-built school block reflects a hunger for education.
Yet children still walk long distances for junior and senior high school, leading to high dropout rates.
More educational infrastructure and support programs are vital.
5.Women’s Skill Training: Though resilient, many women remain idle due to a lack of economic opportunities.
6.Skill training can empower them to earn income and transform their families’ futures.
We are not asking to be “Oliver Twist,” but we are humbly appealing for continued partnership.
Organizations like PAMEPI Women in Tech and the Ross Family Viva Foundation are solving real problems, one community at a time. But the need is vast.
Let Botingli’s story be a beacon. Extend your hand to communities like theirs—and to others in even greater need.
Join us in digging not just for water, but for dignity, for education, for economic empowerment, and for a future where no child is left behind.