Rotary grant to provide clean water in Nigeria The problem of water supply is worse in remote areas where limited resource, inadequate power supply, and lack of adequate surface water of drinking quality compound the scarcity.

The Nordonia Hills Rotary Club (Ohio, US — District 6330) is helping more than 10,000 people in Africa be able to get clean water every day.

In an international partnership with the Rotary Club of Ukwunwangwu in Nigeria, the Nordonia Hills Rotary is bringing two solar borehole wells to the villages of Umuota and Nzerm, in the Ehime-Mbano Local Government Area in Nigeria.

Robin Bugenske, a Nordonia Rotarian, said the problem of water supply is a daily struggle for the people of the region.

“The problem of water supply is worse in remote areas where limited resource, inadequate power supply, and lack of adequate surface water of drinking quality compound the scarcity,” Bugenske said.

“Thus there a risk of water borne diseases epidemic is relatively high.”

Women and children travel over five miles each day for water.

However, there is a solution in the prevalent deep groundwater, which requires a well to get to the water.

Bugenske said power is non-existent in the remote areas, and electric wells are impractical.

Solar wells, which are much more expensive, are the best possible way to pump the water.

The Rotary raised funds from golf outings and club members.

Additionally, St Barnabas students have been selling candy for life straws, which will no longer be necessary with the addition of the well.

LifeStraw, the personal water filter, kills or removes 99.9 per cent of waterborne bacteria and parasites to provide clean drinking water.

The eighth-graders in the Roots and Wings programme began a fundraiser in 2007 to raise money for LifeStraws, and the programme has continued over the past 10 years.

The programme has expanded to include Roots and Wings students in fifth through eighth grades.

At first the straws went to different areas including Bangladesh and Rwanda but in 2009, St Barnabas parishioner Gerry Jira introduced fellow missionary Teresa Thomas.

Since that time, the students have been raising funds for Ozioma Hope for Wellness Corp.

Thomas, a Massachusetts native, is known by the Igbo people of Nigeria as Ozioma, meaning “Good News”.

Jira introduced Thomas, a humanitarian, nurse and volunteer to the Nordonia Hills Rotary when she visited the parish in 2012.

“Our hearts went out to the people,” Bugenske said while clicking through photos of the villagers in Nigeria.

Mostly of children fetching dirty water. “Our club was moved by her presentation and decided to make this our first Club’s Global Project.”

Source:  Nordonia Hills News Leader