Bahrain provides Syrian refugees with hi-tech water heaters

Manama : Bahrain recently provided over 400 Syrian refugees with hi-tech water heating systems.

Solar-powered water heating systems and water networks were installed at a refugee camp in Akkar area in the Northern Parts of Lebanon. The US$50,000 project benefits over 106 families of Syrian refugees and is jointly supported by the Bahraini and Qatari Red Crescents.

Bahrain contributed 72 per cent of the financing for the project and the remaining was by the Qatari counterpart.

The organisations said in a statement that “the refugees in the camp can now utilise clean water all year long, after they previously depended on unhygienic water and melted snow water”.

According to Bahrain Red Crescent, the project comes within joint GCC efforts to aid needy people across the world, especially those living in war-torn countries or natural disaster-hit areas.

“The camp is located in a rugged area situated 1200 metres above sea-level,” the organisations stated. They also confirmed that a group of the refugees were trained in operating and maintaining the new systems. “This is important to maintain the sustainability of the solar cells,” the organisations added.

Bahrain Red Crescent General Secretary Dr. Fawzi Amin said, “Similar long-term projects are needed in those areas where refugees are staying. Due to its geographical nature, these areas witness tough situations like severe cold waves and they’re too far for electricity and water extensions to reach.”