OKU TIMUR, SOUTH SUMATRA – Dompet Dhuafa through Layanan Kesehatan Cuma-Cuma Sumatera Selatan (South Sumatra Free Health Service), held the inauguration of Air Untuk Kehidupan or AUK (Water for Life) and Jamban Komunal (Communal Toilets) for the people of Dusun II, Sukabumi Village, East OKU, South Sumatra, on Tuesday (20/12/2022).
The Water for Life program by making drilled wells and communal toilets was inaugurated with a symbolic ribbon cutting carried out by Kusworo Nursidiq, as the Branch Leader of the Dompet Dhuafa South Sumatra. The inauguration was also attended by Luthfillah Ishak as a representative of the Dompet Dhuafa Education, Culture and Environment team, Tri Hartati (Head of LKC Dompet Dhuafa South Sumatra Outlet), Enda Rukmana (Head of Puskesmas Cempaka), and representatives from the East OKU Health Office.
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Dusun II Sukabumi Village is the worst village that experiences a shortage of clean water. Previously known, most of the residents of Dusun II, to be precise, as many as 49 heads of families still do not have their own bathrooms at home. Those who do not have bathrooms do bathing, washing, and defecation activities in the Ogan river for many years. Head of Sukabumi Village, Ahmad Nawi told about the problems experienced by the residents, especially in Dusun II.
“Indeed, the people of Sukabumi still use 50% of the river water, for defecating, bathing, also including drinking, mostly from the river. The people of Sukabumi village, it’s still lacking so it’s kind of difficult,” said Ahmad Nawi when interviewed.
In addition, people who already have bathrooms and have dug wells, they still have got a problem, where currently the water quality of the excavated wells is declining. The dug well in Dusun II has turbid brown water and sometimes causes the smell of rusty iron.
Therefore, Dompet Dhuafa through LKC DD South Sumatra initiated, to synergize the goodness of flowing water for life in Dusun II Sukabumi Village, East OKU, by making drilled wells and communal toilets, with a well depth of up to 50 meters, and water tank capacity of 600 liters. With this capacity, Water for Life is expected to be able to be used by 140 households around the well.
Head of Dompet Dhuafa South Sumatra Branch, Kuswanto Nursidik said that Water for Life was a regular program of Dompet Dhuafa to provide clean water as a form of synergy of kindness from Dompet Dhuafa donors.
“We convey the trust of the donors of Dompet Dhuafa. After this, we hand over everything to the village head and the residents, please take care of it so that this facility will continue to function as it should,” said Kuswanto.
After the process of making drilled wells and communal toilets for 2 weeks, now the people of Dusun II Sukabumi Village can feel water for life. But the problem still is to make sure whether the water is good for drinking and consumption or not. Because the well made is close to the Ogan river, it is worried that it will experience water infiltration of the Ogan river.
“So indeed in the future we will cooperate with Labkesda, because of the conditions for the construction of this water for life and also the communal toilets near the Ogan river. So, indeed we have to check the lab, we’re worried that there is infiltration from the river,” explained Tri Hartati, Head of LKC DD South Sumatra Outlet.
The inauguration was continued with the handover & signature of the maintenance agreement letter delivered by Tri Hartati.