Empowering Communities Through Sustainable Water Solutions: The Wusasa Community’s Borehole Project

By Jayashabari Shankar, 2023 Future Blue Youth Council member

Water scarcity presents a critical and urgent challenge confronting communities around the world, causing numerous hardships and significantly impacting the overall well-being of individuals. In the Wusasa community in Nigeria, this predicament is no exception. Wusasa residents have long endured the consequences of water scarcity. Whether purchasing water from hawkers, relying on limited household wells, or undertaking arduous journeys to distant water sources, the community shoulders an immense burden – both physical and financial – rendering the quest for clean and hygienic water a constant challenge.

That’s precisely why Keren-happuch Garba, a Bow Seat Fellowship Program grantee, decided to take a proactive approach to tackle this challenge. Her innovative project involved drilling a borehole to alleviate water scarcity and improve the lives of the community members. A borehole is a hole drilled in the earth, especially to obtain water.

To execute the project successfully, Keren-happuch collaborated with Yonny-innovative & Construction Ltd., a construction company that provided the necessary equipment and drilling services. The project also engaged various groups within the community, including religious leaders, community leaders, residents, and construction workers. Overcoming the language barriers in a Hausa-speaking community was a challenge, but Keren-happuch managed well.

By providing a sustainable source of clean water, the project will reduce the risk of waterborne diseases resulting from the use of unhygienic water sources. Women and children, who often bear the responsibility of fetching water, face numerous physical strains and limitations; the borehole project will alleviate this burden by providing a nearby water source. Moreover, this borehole will offer a long-term solution, since purchasing water from unhygienic sources can be financially challenging for households with limited income. The borehole project is a shared resource that benefits the entire community, and Keren-happuch is sure that access to a reliable water source can bring the community together to cultivate a stronger social structure.

Additionally, through educational presentations, Keren-happuch taught local school children about the repercussions of climate change, as knowledge of its urgency remains relatively unknown. Last but not least, Keren-happuch collaborated with a business run by one of her Future Blue Youth Council mentors, Keewi Creations , to illustrate and publish children’s storybooks on various environmental issues. By sharing her project’s story on social media, Keren-happuch hopes to engage a wider audience and increase awareness about the issue of water scarcity.

The borehole project spearheaded by Keren-happuch Garba through Bow Seat’s Fellowship Grant Program is a commendable initiative to combat water scarcity in the Wusasa community. By addressing health risks, physical burdens, and financial strain, and by fostering community unity, the project promises to transform the lives of the residents positively. Keren-happuch’s dedication and commitment serve as an inspiration, highlighting the power of individuals to create meaningful change within their communities.