Community Safe Water Project
AfriGrowth Foundation Community Safe Water Project aims to improve the health situation of people living in three underserved communities via the establishment of credible borehole water facilities, which will serve as a source of clean, safe and hygienic drinking water.
These communities are currently suffering from chronic health problems due to lack of access to clean and adequate water, sanitation and hygiene education that in turn resulted in poor economic status.
The project will address these key needs which form the basis of all development through participatory, inclusive and effective means to bring about the following life changing project purposes:
Moreover, the implementation of this project will also contribute in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 6, which are centered on good health and wellbeing; and clean water and sanitation respectively.
Project background / antecedents of the project:
In Nigeria, the high mortality rate among children under five years old is primarily due to water borne diseases such as gastroenteritis, diarrhea, malaria and amoebic dysentery.
Contamination of human and livestock water is also a major cause of water related diseases. One of the Foundation’s ongoing projects over the past 10 years is the AfriGrowth Library and Literacy Program.Â
Currently, our work exists in 27 communities in Abuja, which premised on the refurbishment and establishment of library facilities in LEA primary schools in these communities which is aimed at ‘bringing back the reading culture’ to help improve literacy levels amongst children ages 3-13, AfriGrowth Foundation conducted needs assessments in each community to identify other basic needs.
These assessments revealed that there was lack of access to clean and safe drinking water in these communities. This situation has led to a pandemic, in which several people suffered from affected water borne diseases and illness, which at times culminate in death.
The most affected are women and children. Thus, there’s an urgent need for the constructions of boreholes, which will serve as viable sources of safe and clean drinking water in the communities.
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ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE
AfriGrowth Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to enhancing growth and changing lives in needy communities. Founded in 2005 with the belief that one of the greatest challenges we face in the world is poverty. The Foundation focuses on eliminating poverty by initiating and supporting empowerment programs which develop techniques for self-sufficiency. The Target of the Foundation is to enhance growth in needy communities in Africa.
AfriGrowth Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to enhancing growth and changing lives in needy communities. Founded in 2005 with the belief that one of the greatest challenges we face in the world is poverty. The Foundation focuses on eliminating poverty by initiating and supporting empowerment programs which develop techniques for self-sufficiency. The Target of the Foundation is to enhance growth in needy communities in Africa.
PURPOSE OF PROJECT
According to Nigeria’s Vice President Yemi Osibanjo, no fewer than 150,000 Nigerians, mostly children die of diarrhea or water related diseases annually for drinking unsafe water: report shared by World Health Organization (WHO) also shows that around 315,000 children under-five die every day from diarrhea diseases caused by dirty water and poor sanitation. That’s an average of about 900 children per day, or one child every two minutes.
In Nigeria, the high mortality rate among children is primarily as reported above. Most households in rural communities in Nigeria obtain water from unsafe sources which are usually muddy, brownish and unpleasant with series of impurities due to constant human activities carried around the source especially in the streams or river where people take their bath, wash clothes and worse still use the environment of the streams as toilet, all this contributes to the impurity of such water that easily leads to a pandemic which sometimes   culminate in death.
The most affected are women and children. Thus there’s an urgent need to provide Clean and Safe Water facilities, which will serve as viable sources of drinking water for such schools in underserved communities.
Currently in Nigeria, the outbreak of the Coronavirus COVID-19 is becoming worse day by day with 139 confirmed cases as at 1st of April 2020 on an average of 3 cases daily according to National Control for Disease Centre (NCDC). Due to the lack of Sanitation, advocacy and basic Water Hygiene and Sanitation (WASH) Facilities in strategic places in the nation, the pandemic is likely to spread more especially in rural communities where basic amenities are missing.
AfriGrowth Foundation through its Community Safe Water Project aims to achieve the following objectives:
1) Construction of safe water and hand washing facilities, as well as provision of hand sanitizers at public places e.g. Schools, markets, motor parks, major road junction, etc.
2) Generate public awareness the danger posed by the recent global pandemic – COVID-19 and enlighten them on best practices and actions against further transmission of the virus
3) Reduce water related diseases in identified communities.
4) Effectively train community leaders and members on water sanitation and hygiene and establish WASHCOMs in target communities.
Implementation and sustenance of the Community Safe Water Project (CSWP), will impact lives positively with good hygiene and guaranteed clean and safe water for the communities at large, especially for women and children.
PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND TIME SCALE
Our request for grant is for the construction of eight (8) water Boreholes in order to meet the urgent need for water in under-served communities. The project is designed to enable them have access to clean water. Outcome is expected to contribute significantly to the wellbeing and the overall welfare of people and increase their hygiene levels.
The main activities will be:
1) Procurement of facilities,
2) Conducting a project implementation workshop,
3) Social mobilization and organizations,
4) Installation of Solar Panels, Inverters, Batteries, Tanks and Tank Stands.
5) Form and train 5-member Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Committees (WASH Com).
Project is expected to start a week from the day grant is received and estimated to be completed within six (6) Months.
POSITIVE IMPACT FROM PREVIOUS WATER PROJECTS
In 2017/2018, a similar water intervention project was done in various rural communities in the FCT, Lagos and Ogun State, all in Nigeria. A month evaluation was conducted for the completed projects funded by Atlas Copco Company, some outcome shows: 43% decrease in illness, 65% decrease in cost of treatment and 90% increase in new borehole usage and as preferred source of water.
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
AfriGrowth Foundation will involve the Schools and Communities participation in the following ways:
1) Contribution of land by each schools / Communities
2) Clearing the project site and keeping it neat
3) Educating the community members on safe use of water
4) Establish WASH- Com that will ensure the sustainability of the project
ANTICIPATED PROJECT OUTCOME
The school and the elected Water, sanitation and Hygiene Committee (WASH Com) will handle the sustainability of the project, While AfriGrowth Foundation will ensure the project meets the desired objectives at the required quality and standard.
The expected results are:
1) Five-member Water, sanitation and Hygiene Committees established and working.Â
2) Eight (8) solar powered borehole installed properly and working.
3) Community would have gained knowledge and trained on water usage and sanitation.
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