Water they say is life, indeed visually everything in life revolves around the use of water.

Globally 771 million people lack access to safe water and nearly 1 million people die each year from lack of access to safe water. This devastating effect has not exempted the people of Igbesa community in Ado-Odo Ogun State, hence we intervened.

 

Igbesa is a rural Community located in the southwestern part of Nigeria in Ado Odo Ota Local Government area of Ogun State. It consists of 7 communities with a population of over 1500 people. The community lacks adequate basic amenities such as portable drinking Water. The main sources of water are Local dilapidated 97 feet shallow well whose water is almost dried up despite the depth of the well. The other major source is a stagnant swamp.

 

The people around this community source water majorly by trekking as far as 45 minutes averagely 90 minutes to and fro, through bushes, and across a wooden bridge to get to the stagnant swamp to fetch water for their daily domestic activities.

 

Student skip school to help their parents fetch water from the swamp due to distance; and in most cases they have to take the pain of going through the process several times to get the quantity that could sustain them for a while, this has affected their academic performance in school. They risk their lives each time they venture into the adventure of fetching water from this swamp, since the swampy water also inhabits dangerous reptiles such as snakes and crocodiles.

 

The process of fetching water from this swamp is so tedious and dangerous. The fetched water is purified using a process called decantation, where the water is allowed to settle down by the addition of alum and then sieved into an empty container.

 

The water is then used for drinking, cooking and other domestic needs. However, it has not reduced the rate of water borne diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, Typhoid, Dysentery, Pale Skin and even death in some cases that has hit community.

 

In Igbesa community, the major source of livelihood is in agricultural product and the sales of Cassava which is then processed locally into FUFU and Garri. This process also involved the use of water fetched from this swamp, since there is no access to clean water.

 

AT HASKE WATER AID AND EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION, we have the principal aim of providing succor to the needy in the area of Potable and sustainable drinking water facilities (Borehole) and in extension, provides empowerment programs for the widows, women and the youths.

 

We came to the aid of the people of Igbesa community. We conducted series of survey and visibility study and met with the member of the council leaders, village heads, students and residence members. We were duly welcomed and well received. The community were excited with the initiative we brought before them and the transformation that will hit their community in days to come, in the area of sustainable and potable drinking water supply.

 

The borehole project commenced immediately and in less than three months it was completed.

The borehole will serve the entire community consisting of 9 streets namely (Alafia Tayo, Itedo Iyanu, Odo Ogbo, Matagba-Mole, Small London, Ona Ojo Road, etc).  with a population above 1,500 people, with an extension to the Baptist Day Primary School, a public school of about 385 students within the environs.

 

The commissioning of the project was graced by heads of communities, council leaders, students and the villagers who were so excited and can’t even wait for it to be put to use immediately.

 

The General Secretary to the village council of elders in person of Senior Apostle Samuel Olaniyi Ajibola gave his welcome address. In his speech, he appreciated Haske Water Aid and Empowerment Foundation for their selfless and humanitarian support and for their kind gesture toward the provision of sustainable and potable Water project to the people of Igbesa Community.

 

The Executive Director of Haske Water Aid and Empowerment Foundation (Chibuzor Mirian Azubuike) thanked the Community for their immense support and cooperation toward the success of the project. She encouraged the 7-man borehole Committee member’s setup to ensure they work with the villagers towards the maintenance and sustainability of the project.

 

A representative of the borehole Committee member pledged their support to the villagers and assured that they will take good care of the newly constructed borehole facilities. Thereafter, the borehole was commissioned and opened for use.

 

The members of the community were filled with joy, gladness, excitement and showed high level of appreciation toward the succor that Haske Water Aid and Empowerment Foundation has brought to their Community.

 

The Commissioning came to an end with a heart filled with gratitude and an atmosphere joy.

           

We appreciate our partners SAMAAB Global Farms and our donor  Weinman Trust Fund/ Toledo Community Foundation for their support.  We look forward to more  impactful collaboration in future so can touch more lives.