Aiyetoro, established around 1813, is one of the founding cities that formed Ogun State in the mid-1970s. It hosts one of the best secondary school in the old Western Region – Comprehensive High School, Aiyetoro. Aiyetoro town falls within Yewa North Local Government Area with a population of about 180,000 as at 2006 national census report. It serves as the administrative headquarters of Yewa North Local Government. The town also hosts a tertiary institution, Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), which is projected to further enhance economic development in the town.

The area is noted for its agricultural products and serves as the shipping centre for cocoa, cassava, cowpea and maize. Most of its population are predominantly farmers.

Joga is a community under Aiyetoro town that accommodates about 5,000 residents. The residents’ only source of water is a stream, which they use for all domestic purposes, including drinking.

Women and children bear the burden of walking long distances to fetch water from the stream. During dry seasons, the stream dries up and the residents are made to even walk farther distance to access water from neighbouring communities. Due to the proximity of the community to the border, Herdsmen from the Republic of Benin, settle in the community and the stream serves as the source of drinking water for their cattle.

Hope Spring preliminary visit to the community confirmed the presence of cattle and cow dungs in the stream. Most sickness in the community is associated with typhoid and malaria, which are water-related diseases. The lonely and bushy nature of the path to the stream leaves the women and girls exposed to abuse and rape. Hence, a source of safe and clean water in the community was a much needed development clamoured by inhabitants of the community.

Hope Spring Water embarked on an inclusive project after consultations with surveyors, the Community Head and community members on the appropriate site for the project. The services of a local drilling company, Better-Day Water Engineering Works, was employed to drill and install a motorized pump borehole in the community.

Plumbing and mercenary works were also carried out by trained and skilled members of the community. Two 2,500 Litres tank was installed to store pumped water, which would be served to the community via a tiled stand comprising 5 tap outlets. The outlet taps are located strategically in a central position, which is readily accessible to members of the community and neighbouring communities. A filter was also installed to ensure safety of the water for drinking purposes and safeguard the health of the consumers. This project was supported by Tower Foundation – A local NGO that helps alleviate poverty in rural communities – and Christ Apostolic Church, Joga.

Their immense support and collaboration of the community members is highly commendable and is responsible for the success of the project, which was delivered within timeframe.     

The Joga Water Project was commissioned on the 22nd of December 2017 by the Ogun State Commissioner of commerce and industry, Mr. Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, in conjunction with Joga Community Head, Chief Solomon Akinlotan.

Present at the launching event were Mr. Temple Oraeki, the Nigeria Country Director of Hope Spring Water Charity Foundation, Barrister Oketola Obaleye, Founder, Tower Foundation, Barrister David Dada Mulero, the Special Adviser to the Governor of Ogun State on General Matters, among other dignitaries and representatives of the community. The event also brought together other local NGOs and corporate organizations, such as Caroline Oluremi Foundation and Lady Care Nigeria, who donated relief materials and sanitary pads, to the poor in the community. About 400 participants, mainly women and children, attended the event, which also included a free medical check-up by medical professionals.

The smile on the faces of participants at the launch of the project says it all about the impact of the Joga Water Project. The expected benefits of this project includes but not limited to; improved health of inhabitants, reduced cases of women and children abuse, reduced loss of time and productivity as a result of the long distance walked in fetching water from the stream, alleviation of water poverty in the community and attainment of an open defecation free (ODF) community.

It is common practice in developing countries to sight non-functional boreholes in communities, which occurs due to lack of effective maintenance plan in place. In order to ensure the sustainability of the project, Hope Spring Water engaged members of the community to manage the operations of the borehole. After consultations with the community head and members, Christ Apostolic Church, Joga was placed in charge of maintenance and operations. They will provide periodic reports on the functionality of the borehole. Monitoring and evaluation of the project will also be carried out annually to assess the impact of the project.