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| Madam Ike Theresa and another villager washing and drinking water supplied via the borehole provided through the intervention of European Union (EU) and United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Onanaku, a community in Ezinifitte Anambra State, recently. PHOTOS BY CHIOMA UMEHA |
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| Some pupils of Anuli Community School, Ezinifite, Aguata Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra State, washing hands via a tippy-tap water system provided through the intervention of European Union (EU) and United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF), recently. |
•50-Year-Old Childless Widow, Others Rejoice
Chioma Umeha
For almost five decades, Ike Theresa, 50, native
of Onanaku, unmarried and childless, used to trek several kilometres in search
of portable water for drinking and other domestic purposes.
No doubt, many years of carrying the heavy load of
water regularly while trekking could have contributed to her spine being bent
backwards, causing her to develop hunched back.
According to Theresa, “Sometimes, we travelled for
about four kilometres before we could get clean water to drink. We really
suffered especially, the elderly ones among us. That equally disturbed my
health, especially my backbone as that made it almost impossible for me to
stand uprightly, like many other elderly people in this community.”
Until recently, that has been the lot of most
elderly women in Onanaku, a community in Ezinifitte and neigbouring villages,
Anambra state who embark on fetching water from distant towns.
Before now the people used to travel far to get
water for all their needs as drinkable water had been a scarce commodity for
most people in the state. Aside the few rich individuals, many homes had
depended on either surface or well water, which is usually contaminated.
Although there is water everywhere in Anambra State, there is none to drink.
DAILY INDEPENDENT learnt that to get clean potable
water, one has to dig up to 650 feet above sea level. Certainly, only the rich
could afford to undertake such venture.
However, the story has changed with the intervention
of European Union (EU) and United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which
provided Onanaku community with potable drinking water. UNICEF, through funding
from the EU had dug a borehole that serves Ononaku and the neighbouring
villages.
Today, Theresa and others like her are now happy,
despite their disabilities arising from their previous hardship in sourcing for
drinkable water.
With a note of satisfaction, Theresa stated, “The
provision of the potable water has changed the ugly story of my community as it
has also reduced the high cases of sicknesses like cholera and other waterborne
diseases.”
Mr. Ike Christian, Water Sanitation and Hygiene
Committee (WASHCOM) Secretary of Onunaku in Ezinifite , confirmed Theresa’s
assertion thus, “For several years, Onanaku with the population of over 2,000
have been traveling for about one and half hours to fetch water from the
neighbouring communities for domestic use.
“Women and children got used to the habit of
fetching water. For them it is a time to discuss and play. They wake up by 5am
to go to the stream before they prepare for school that is why they are mostly
late for school.”
Excitedly, he noted that people no longer go that
far to collect water anymore, attesting to early and regular attendance to
school.
“Women are very happy because water has made their
task easier and it increases school attendance,” he concluded.
He revealed that the water has been regular and
the villagers have been happy using the water.
DAILY INDEPENDENT learnt that there is a committee
called WASHCOM which ensures that nobody vandalizes the tap. The committee also
ensures smooth operation of the project as regards transportation and storage
of water.
There are measures to ensure quality control and
these cover collection of water and sanitary compliance of compounds.
“We have to taste the water to see if the water is
bad or good,” he said.
Similarly, Mrs. Francisca Onyebuchi, the Head
Teacher, Anuli Community School, Ezinifite, Aguata Local Government Area (LGA)
of Anambra State said, “I am very happy about WASHCOM intervention in the
school.
They provided us with water and integrated pour
flush toilet facilities of 10 rooms, five for boys and five for girls.
She noted, “Water has been a great challenge to us
in this community, to meet the need of water in school, we asked pupils to
fetch water and bring to school every day which is hardly enough for school
use, this was before the intervention of water and toilets in the school
premises.”
Reflecting, she said, “Before the toilet was
built, we were facing serious dangers because the pupils go to toilet in the
bush and the old toilets were collapsing, it was like a death trap for the
pupils.
“Some were doing ‘cat method,’ where they dug
holes on the ground, excreted and covered it rather than risking their lives
going to the dilapidated toilets
“It has enhanced school attendance in no small
measurable way since it was built. The school enrollment has increased
tremendously because some parents are afraid of contributing money for such but
it has been given freely.”
She further stated that availability of water has
led to cleanliness among the pupils who no longer come late to school as they
do not need to fetch water and bring to school.
Commenting on the provision of water and toilets,
one of the pupils who is also an ‘Ambassador for cleanliness,’ Augustine Emasi
said, “Today, I come early to school, I even prefer to use school toilet to the
one at home.
Also, Okonkwo Amara, a pupil said, she has made it
a point of duty to monitor the toilets and make sure they are kept neat.
Mr Ezekwo Victor, the General Manager, Rural Water
Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), said that the water facility in the
community is reticulated up to 1000 meters to serve farther households.
