Mozambique: Karingani invests 12 million meticais to provide drinking water to more than 4,500 people in the provinces of Gaza and Maputo

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Mozambique: Karingani invests 12 million meticais to provide drinking water to more than 4,500 people in the provinces of Gaza and Maputo

4:46 CAT | 24 Jun 2025

Photo: Karingani

Karingani Game Reserve (KGR) is investing over 12 million Meticais in the construction of water supply systems in the communities of Cubo, Década da Vitória, Ringane, and Phanguene in Gaza province, Massingir district, and Mbacane, in Magude, Maputo province.

The project will benefit around 4,549 people, representing a significant step in KGR’s commitment to improving the living conditions of the communities neighbouring the reserve. The initiative comes in response to the challenges faced by local populations in accessing drinking water.

Speaking recently at the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Construction of the Cubo Water Supply System, KGR’s Community Relations Manager, Eusébio Mavie, explained the details of the Cubo Water Supply System.

“We are going to install a 3.5-kilometre pipeline to transport water from the Massingir Dam to the Cubo community. At the dam, a suspended pump will be installed, which will adjust to the water level and wind direction, ensuring continuous extraction of water even in adverse conditions. The water will be drawn 1.5 meters from the surface, ensuring better quality, passing through a filtration system before being stored in a tank with 117,000 liters capacity of,” he said.

The current system operating in that community is not only obsolete but also diesel-powered and prone to frequent breakdowns. With the new system, an adequate, ecological, and sustainable supply will be ensured.

The tank for this system will be sealed to protect against ill-intentioned people and animals and will have a ventilation system to prevent ruptures. A solar energy system will also be installed, eliminating dependence on fossil fuels.

In addition, metal towers will be constructed in the center of the community, equipped with two 10,000-litre tanks each, ensuring sufficient storage and distribution of water for the Cubo inhabitants.

The initiative also stands out for hiring local labor and for community training for the management and maintenance of the system. Training programs are planned for community members who will be part of the Water System Management Committee and the Technical Maintenance Committee, ensuring the technical and financial sustainability of the infrastructure in the long term. This component will be implemented under the leadership of the Massingir District Planning and Infrastructure Services.

The administrator of the Massingir district, Esmeralda Muthemba, expressed her satisfaction with the initiative.

“I am very pleased with this project. Just as Karingani has already supported us in building the morgue and other infrastructures, this new work reinforces the commitment with our community. The water system to be built is for us, and we must care for and preserve it,” she advised on the occasion.

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Isac Cubai, leader of the Cubo Community, also expressed his gratitude, explaining that the system comes to solve a long-standing problem.
“We are very grateful to Karingani for hearing the cries of this community, because water has been a big problem here for a long time. Women used to walk more than three kilometers to the dam, where some were victims of crocodile attacks. So this new system will solve this problem.”

He added, saying that “the water system we used before consumed a lot of fuel, and we could not cover that cost.”

The construction of the system is expected to continue until the end of July 2025, with the official handover scheduled for the following month. This project joins other social and environmental initiatives promoted by Karingani, reaffirming its mission to contribute to environmental conservation integrated with human development and to improving the living conditions of neighbouring communities.

“We used to stay a long time without water here, so I am happy about this project, this is a good action,” said Simeão Ngovene, an elder resident in that Community.

In turn, Cecília Cubai, another resident of Cubo, shared the constraints they face with the existing system.

“We have suffered for a long time due to the lack of drinking water. Today, we see our prayers answered. We thank Karingani and the Government immensely for this help. Besides the water, Karingani has already built the school, the maternity clinic, and houses for nurses and teachers in our community,” she praised.

In the other communities, due to the difficulty in accessing water, specific interventions were carried out, adjusted to the needs of each locality. In Década da Vitória, the supply capacity was increased through the drilling of a new borehole and the installation of solar panels, replacing the previous diesel-powered system, which had frequent breakdowns. In Ringane, the capacity was increased with the installation of a new solar borehole and the placement of standpipes in the main population clusters.

Mbacane also benefited from a solar water borehole and a trough for livestock, responding to the needs of local livestock activity, which is essential for the subsistence of families. In Phanguene, the intervention consisted of rehabilitating the damaged borehole, increasing the capture capacity and extending the distribution network to the village center, allowing all families to have easy and safe access to water, in a system that is also powered by solar energy.

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These actions, according to the beneficiary communities, bring better quality water and ease the daily suffering caused by the difficulty in accessing it.

Karingani thus reaffirms its commitment to sustainable conservation, demonstrating that environmental protection efforts must go hand in hand with the well-being of local communities.

About Karingani Game Reserve

Karingani Game Reserve (KGR) is situated in southern Mozambique and shares boundaries with Limpopo National Park (LNP) and South Africa’s Kruger National Park (KNP). Karingani Game Reserve (KGR) is a reserve recognized as an important environmental conservation area for the protection of the history and species of terrestrial mammals, committed to promoting tourism, conservation, socio-economic development and fostering solid relations with the community. It currently employs over 422 people, 86.20% of whom come from the provinces of Maputo and Gaza where the reserve is located, 11.54% Mozambicans from other provinces and the remaining 2.26% of workers are foreign nationals. Karingani, which means “storytelling” in Changana, refers to a traditional practice of the local people in the area of the reserve. The Karingani initiative is more than simple storytelling; it evolves continuously and is inspired by the spirit of the respected storyteller who preserves ancient traditions. This custom is part of Mozambican culture and is valued and respected by the project. The initiative combines this rich cultural heritage with the modernity of contemporary Africa, creating an innovative environment for the development of the Project.

Source: Karingani Game Reserve & Media Release