Gosa Kpanyi Borehole Project 2019

“Our women and children have suffered enough because of water. This is the first borehole in our community for everyone” ~ Community Youth Leader

Gosa Kpanyi Borehole Project 2019

“Our women and children have suffered enough because of water. This is the first borehole in our community for everyone” ~ Community Youth Leader

Over 2,000 lives changed

5″ UPVC Hand pump Borehole installed

About Gosa Kpanyi Kpanyi Community
The community is a rural community inhabited by over 2000 people, it is located along Airport road, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. . It is characterized by uneven and dry terrain with sparse flourishing vegetation due to flowing streams meandering around the community.

Kpanyi Kpanyi is famous for the Upah River which serves as a source of water for most of the community members. Some of the inhabitants still live in mud houses. The major sources of livelihood are farming and cassava processing into starchy balls popularly called “Akpu’. The common language is Tiv.

WhyKpanyi Kpanyi Community
Kpanyi Kpanyi community is surrounded by flowing streams which serve as a source of domestic and drinking water, it also bordered by the Upah river which has the most number of visitors due to its size and centralization. Some visit the river for bathing and laundry purposes. These bodies of water are polluted by domestic and human wastes and also serve as a source of water for grazing livestock, making it unsafe for consumption. A high number of Cholera and typhoid outbreaks have been reported in a neighbouring Community Health Centre. The community has only one borehole which is commercial and doesn’t produce water in the dry season. During the rainy season, the river level rises as tides increase, leading to loss of lives, especially amongst children who go to bathe or fetch water. The most recent death occurred in August 2018, which was around the time the team of Hope Spring Water Volunteers visited the community for preliminary survey.

The community Chief concerned about the well-being of the people, published an article in the Abuja Metro newspaper on the 9th of May 2018 titled “Kpany Kpanyi: Abuja’s jungle settlement…where residents, cattle drink from the same river”.

The Project

Miss Ifeanacho Chetachi Daniela, a National Youth Service Corps Member and the Deputy Governor of the Sustainable Development Goals, CDS (Community Development Service) Group identified the needs of the community and approached Hope Spring for Sponsorship. After conducting needs assessment and meetings with the community leaders, the project site was mapped with the Chief’s permission and consultation with a site surveyor.

A local drilling company was employed to execute the project. A unit 5” diameter UPVC hand pump borehole was drilled to a depth of 60M and an Indian mark II hand pump was installed. The borehole was developed using compressed air until the water became clear of sediment. The physiochemical characteristics of the water as carried out to ascertain the water quality before handing it over to the community for use.

The project was sponsored by Hope Spring Water Charity Foundation and supported by Haske Foundation.

Launching of the project
The Kpani Kpanyi Borehole was commissioned on the 21st of December 2018. The event was witnessed by the community leaders and members of the community, including children who came out enmasse to witness the commissioning of the borehole. Also present were the media and government officials. The Country Director of Hope Spring Water Charity Foundation, Mr Temple Oraeki, was represented by Miss Damilola Aderanti. Other visitors present include Mr Beke Ogwuechi, from the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on the Sustainable Development goals (OSSAP-SDGs) and Mr Kazim from Agro Nature media.

According to the Country Director, Mr Temple Oraeki, represented by Miss Damilola Aderanti, “No one values water better than someone who has experienced water scarcity”. He advised the community member to maintain the borehole so as to serve the needs of the future generation and urged serving corps member to emulate the actions of Miss Ifeanacho Chetachi Daniela by working to achieve the Sustainable development Goals.

The community members showed up with buckets and bowls eager for borehole to be commissioned. The Chief and the women leader were full of gratitude to the sponsors and partners of the project stating that it was one of a kind and will serve the community well. Finally, the youth leader expressed sadness over lives lost in the river and was happy that it didn’t have to happen again.

Project Impact
The immediate impact could be seen on the faces of members of community who were full of smiles and eager to get clean water from the borehole. The women sang praises, saying that the time spent on fetching water from rivers and streams would now be spent with the family. Children would go to school early and have safe water to drink without the risk of water-related diseases. Incidents of death from drowning, as well as rape, would be drastically reduced.
Project Sustainablility
The Chief and the Youth Leader were selected to lead the borehole maintenance team. Every challenge which could not be handled by the community would be escalated to Hope Spring Water. Periodic monitoring and evaluation of the borehole would be carried out by Hope Spring Water, to ensure borehole is functioning effectivel.

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