Latest update January 9th, 2025 3:49 AM
Matthew’s Ridge residents brave rain to collect water filters
By Shervin Belgrave
Kaieteur News – Torrential downpours did not stop residents of Matthew’s Ridge, Region One, from arriving at the community’s centre on Tuesday December 7, to collect water filters that were donated by the US Embassy’s Civil Affairs Team.
Residents walking through the rain to collect their water filters.
The US team led by Aaron Staton had learnt that the residents were facing difficulties in accessing clean water for drinking and cooking, and had decided to source water filters for some 200 households in that community. Recently, Kaieteur News had reported that due to the existence of manganese in the community, the water supply has become contaminated.
For decades, residents of Matthew’s Ridge have been sourcing water from natural springs in the area, however, with manganese extraction taking place there, it is likely that it will become contaminated.
Residents posing for a photo with the US team
Consuming water with elevated levels of the mineral can severely affect the health of the residents, especially children. This newspaper had even reported back in August 2021 that consuming water with high levels of manganese can cause impaired cognitive functions and developmental delays in young children, mental health conditions, and a condition called manganism, which is a Parkinson’s-like disease.
The Government has since begun drilling wells in Matthew’s Ridge, so that residents can once again have access to clean water, but this will take a while to complete. While the wells are under construction, the US team decided to provide some water filters, so that residents could consume clean water until they (wells) are completed. Kaieteur News was privileged to accompany the team on its journey to the community to distribute the filters, and which facilitated the following step-by-step account.
The journey began at the Ogle Airport, where the team boarded a small airplane to the small village of Port Kaituma. Upon its arrival there, team members checked in at a hotel then took an almost three-hour ride in a taxi to Matthew’s Ridge.
The US Civil Affairs team posing for a photo after pushing their taxi out of the mud.
Along the way, they were forced to bathe themselves in mud in order to push the car out of the thick slush along the road.
When they finally arrived at the Community Centre at Matthew’s Ridge, it started to rain.
At first, the team members, thought that the residents would not brave the rain to collect their water filters, but as they were about to hand them over to the Vice Chairman of the Matarkai, Region One district, persons began ‘trickling in’ one after the other with their umbrellas.
In a matter of minutes, the U.S. team distributed more than 50 water filters, but not before demonstrating how to set them up.
Team members explained that the filters can be used to filter 100,000 gallons of water, and showed recipients how to flush them out after each use.
The residents paid keen attention and asked questions. Some even took out their cellphones to record the demonstration and instructions, while others requested that the team members assemble the filters for them.
Residents standing in a semi-circle as the US team explain the benefits of having the water filter
One of the residents, Samantha Griffith, said that she was grateful for the donation, because sometimes the water from the springs “would come brown”.
The Vice Chairman, Lair Frazer, related that residents have been consuming spring water for years, but when it rains, the water would get muddy.
Staton, the U.S. team leader, listened to issues that villagers were facing and promised to return. He told Kaieteur News that he was happy that residents turned up to collect the water filters, and had even enjoyed the journey to the Region One district.
A Matthew’s Ridge resident paying keen attention as one of the US team members demonstrates how to set up his water filter.
Kaieteur News also had a chance to visit the site where the government is currently drilling a well to provide clean water for the residents living in Matthews Ridge.
According to engineers on the ground, the drilling process will take 15 days to complete. After speaking with them, the team entered their taxis and began the long, demanding journey back to Port Kaituma.
Once again they had fun in the rain, muddying themselves to push their taxis out of the slush along the road and even posed for a photo.
One of them said that only in Guyana will you have this kind of adventure.
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