Orange Foundation Brings Solar Water To Community-Small Town Residents Gain Clean Water

MONROVIA – A new solar-powered water pump dedicated to Small Town Community in Congo Town is being hailed as a modest but meaningful step toward improving water access in urban Liberia. Installed by Orange Foundation Liberia, the project highlights the growing role of private-sector philanthropy in addressing gaps in public services such as clean water, sanitation, and renewable energy. With Liberia still struggling to expand safe water and hygiene infrastructure, especially in fast-growing communities around Monrovia, the initiative underscores how partnerships between companies, civil society groups, and communities can help bridge development challenges while promoting sustainable technology solutions that protect health and dignity. THE ANALYST’S H. Matthew Turry reports.

Orange Liberia through its humanitarian arm, Orange Foundation Liberia over the weekend dedicated and handed over a solar-powered water pump to the Small Town Community in Congo Town.

The project, which residents say will ease years of struggle for safe and reliable water, is part of the telecommunications company’s ongoing corporate social responsibility initiatives aimed at improving living conditions and promoting green technology in communities across Liberia.

According the Orange Foundation authority, the project is a core part of the institution commitment to sustainable development and improving quality of life through green technology.

Community leaders noted that many residents previously depended on distant wells or unsafe water sources, especially during dry seasons, making the new solar-powered pump a significant improvement for households, schools, and small businesses in the area.

Speaking at the occasion, WaterAid Liberia Country Director, Chuchu Selmah said water is life, and it is important for human dignity safety.

According the Wateraid Liberia Country Director, social economic growth, health and long life cannot be achieved without water.

He noted by saying, “Our wellbeing is critical, and we need to obtain all of these things through water.”

Stating, “The are contributing factors and a bare barerock for social economic development, with the ongoing decrease in aid, domestic resource mobilization is needed.”

“Let make sure water access is realize for everyone everywhere in our society”, he said.

Mr Chuchu Selmah explained by saying, “In Liberia, according to UNICEF and World Health Organization (WHO), about 79% of our population have access to basic water, and that is better than most of the countries in South Sahara Africa.

“But when it comes to sanitation and hygiene, Liberia is lacking far behind. In fact only 23% of our population has access to basic sanitation and 3% for hygiene”, he added.

Public health experts say the lack of sanitation facilities remains a major contributor to preventable diseases in Liberia, including cholera, diarrhea, and typhoid, especially in densely populated urban communities.

For his part, speaking on behalf of Orange Liberia CEO and Chairman of Orange Foundation Liberia, Jean Marius Yao, Director of Legal, Regulatory and Governmental Affairs, Cllr Supu H. W. Cole said the project is not the end of Orange Liberia giving back to community.

Stating, “We are an institution that is business oriented, but in as much as you do business, you have to give back.

“So many of you here if not all, are all our customers, and the money you used to get on the internet, to make calls is what that pays us, and we can’t just take all and carry so we tried to establish the humanitarian arm which is the Orange Foundation to give back”, Cllr Supu Cole explained.

He further by saying, “We want to admonished the community not for the pump, but to also make use of the facility.

Adding, “It is found within your community, other communities wish they would have had such facility that create learning opportunities for the youth.

“The youth is our direction. They are the one that will lead us and take this country to a greater height. We are only here to laid the foundation, so encourage your kids to come and learn here”, he said.

He said, “The doors are open in our digital center, there are different programs, we have our team of experts, every two to three months they have different set of programs.

“Try to find a time and make maximum use of it, because the more we moding the minds of the kids, the more they get busy not to go astray”, he noted.

Cllr Supu H. W. Cole thanked the Small Town Community for the cordial relationship that existed.

In response, the chairman of the Small Town Community praise Orange Foundation Liberia for the kind gesture.

Residents said the solar-powered system will reduce the burden on women and children who often walk long distances to fetch water, while also improving hygiene and reducing waterborne diseases.

The dedication ceremony was graced by leadership from the Orange Foundation Liberia and Orange Liberia, community leaders and residents.

Observers say such projects, though small in scale, can have large impact when replicated across communities, especially in peri-urban areas like Congo Town where population growth is outpacing water infrastructure.

For Small Town Community, the new solar pump is more than equipment—it is hope for healthier families, safer water, and a step toward the sustainable development goals Liberia continues to pursue.