The Nikki Udezue Foundation, in partnership with the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation, has unveiled the “Water for Life” project in Kaida Tsoho community in Gwagwalada Area Council FCT, marking a significant milestone in the fight for clean water access in underserved areas.
Speaking at the event, founder Nkiru Udezue highlighted the critical importance of the project, which aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 6.
She emphasized the urgency of addressing Nigeria’s clean water and sanitation challenges, which contribute to high mortality rates, particularly among children under five.
“This project is more than just clean water; it represents hope and humanity,” Udezue said.
She urged the community to safeguard the solar-powered facility and called for increased government attention to suburban areas through infrastructure development.
Representing the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation, Ijeoma Pearl Okoro commended the initiative’s focus on a marginalized area.
“Often, projects are concentrated in visible urban areas, but this one reaches where clean water was previously unimaginable,” she said.
Okoro also emphasized the importance of community cooperation in maintaining the facility, assuring that more interventions in healthcare and empowerment were on the horizon.
Project Manager Nchewi Francis Atu detailed the technical aspects of the borehole, which was drilled to a depth of 130 meters and powered by solar panels due to the community’s lack of electricity. Security measures were also implemented to ensure the sustainability of the facility.
“This is not just about providing water today but creating a lasting resource for the future,” Atu stated.
Community leaders and residents expressed deep gratitude for the intervention while highlighting additional needs.
Youth leader Idris Suleiman appealed for better road infrastructure, which hampers access to healthcare and other essentials.
“The road conditions are a major issue, and we urge the foundations to help bring this to the attention of authorities,” he said.
Another resident, Jibrin Iliyasu Pakkeh, lauded the clean water initiative as a lifeline but appealed for further empowerment programs to support the community’s youths.
The unveiling concluded with a collective pledge to protect and sustain the facility, with the hope that the collaboration between foundations and the community would inspire similar interventions across Nigeria.
