The Local Water Bank
Afolayan Juwon Samuel is a Nigerian born development strategist with over five years of experience in Policy reforms, social development and scientific research. The young Academic currently works at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Kwara State University Nigeria, where he researches the environmental and health effects of engineered nanomaterials, and also develops procedures for wastewater treatment and reuse.
He currently leads the chapters facilitation team of the World Youth Parliament for Water, comprising highly motivated and culturally diverse youths that were selected across continents. Since his appointment, he has initiated works with many chapters including Zambia, Philippines, Nigeria, South Sudan, Mexico, Canada, Pakistan, Ghana, Tunisia, Bangladesh and the USA.
He is a former National corps member of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a member of the USAIDs Research and Technical Assistance Centre, a Resident Life Fellow and a 2020 World Literacy Foundation Ambassador.
The Local Water Bank is an idea that was developed by a team of Water experts to address the sanitation and hygiene challenges in a local region of Nigeria. These persistent Challenges were researched to be caused by water unavailability. To address this, the team came up with a water bank idea, that is designed for harvesting natural waters for purification and use by local communities.
The lack of access to water in this area has led to persistent open defecation and environmental pollution. Sadly, the available hygiene facilities cannot be put to use due, and they wear off daily.
Water is the single most important resource in life. About three billion people globally lack access to either this resource or other basic sanitation facilities (The Water supply and sanitation collaborative council, 2020). Lack of access to water is one of the world's leading causes of improper hygiene and sanitation practices. Ekiti Local government area of Kwara State is one of the 774 local governments in Nigeria, with a population of 54,850 (Nigerian population Commission, 2006).
The basic problem of this region is the presence of rock layers just below the surface soil. This has prevented the breakthroughs in the digging of wells and drilling of boreholes.
A general market in the OSI community brings about 7,000 people in this local government together for trade and general business exchanges. Unfortunately, there is no single functional structure that is available to support basic hygiene and sanitation practices of these people.
This condition has led to persistent Orthodox practises such as open defecation, predisposing many to diseases, snake bite and many environmental hazards.
With the evolution of covid19, and ease of lockdown despite the increased rate of the pandemics; the disease epidemiology is predicted to highly increase if basic hygiene facilities remain absent or functionless.
The Local water bank was conceptualized to harness the available natural water (river) to meet the water shortage of people in Ekiti Local Government, Nigeria. The river to be harnessed for water storage is located just a few meters from the general market. This river has remained unused because sellers cannot leave their goods due to security concerns and also, there is a need for sand filter purification and microfilter processes to be carried on the water before it can be very suitable for use.
A multi chamber storage tank shall be procured and hung for water distribution. A pumping machine shall directly draw water from this river (it has been confirmed to flow all season) and channeled into the tank through the filtration columns. A backup artificial tank shall be dug for water storage to complement the water drawn from the river, since rainfall is unpredictable due to exacerbating climate change.
The water in the tank shall be distributed directly for use by people that patronize the market and also all neighbouring institutions and industrial outlets that are in close proximity to the market (These are shown in the video).
The Local water bank was conceptualized to harness the available natural water (river) to meet the water shortage of people in Ekiti Local Government, Nigeria. The river to be harnessed for water storage is located just a few meters from the general market. This river has remained unused because sellers cannot leave their goods due to security concerns and also, there is a need for sand filter purification and microfilter processes to be carried on the water before it can be very suitable for use.
A multi chamber storage tank shall be procured and hung for water distribution. A pumping machine shall directly draw water from this river (it has been confirmed to flow all season) and channeled into the tank through the filtration columns. A backup artificial tank shall be dug for water storage to complement the water drawn from the river, since rainfall is unpredictable due to exacerbating climate change.
The water in the tank shall be distributed directly for use by people that patronize the market and also all neighbouring institutions and industrial outlets that are in close proximity to the market (These are shown in the video).
- Elevating issues and their projects by building awareness and driving action to solve the most difficult problems of our world
The Local Water Bank Project is an action based community development project that addresses one of the core global challenges which is Clean water and Sanitation as enshrined in the sixth goal of the United Nations.
Lack of access to water or clean water remains one of the leading problems affecting millions of people around the world. And this problem is even more severe at the local level where the presence of government is hardly felt. This makes intervention and community mobilization become a necessity so as to ensure that development goes round.
The touchy story of the water and sanitation challenges in Ekiti Local Government was heard by many, and a personal site seeing became a necessity. A tour around this region confirmed the majority of what was told in the story. A minor research was then conducted to understand the root of the problem. The lack of water to promote sound hygiene practises remains their biggest problem because they could not sponsor projects to address this need.
On the other hand, oil price has been on the decline, government revenue allocation to States has dropped significantly, and sponsoring capital projects are almost becoming impossible.
Alongside other experts that cut across WASH, Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) and Academia, we took a tour round the region to see how best we could provide water for the people bearing in mind that available bore holes are drilled through rocks and they are functionless during dry season.
We discovered a river in the region and we studied the river's history. We discovered that the river flows ceaselessly even during the dry season. It is more like a mini natural dam from which water can be drawn, purified and stored for use by the people.
I have had a share in this problem. I was born in this local government before educational adventure took me to a different part of the country. I have tasted it but sadly, it has escalated far beyond the way I left it.
The experience from this problem is the motivation behind my studying of environmental biochemistry and I have since focused my research on wastewater treatment and reuse. I believe that this will be a potent method of maximizing the use of little available water resources that are gotten from the region or imported. I would not just stop here but I have since become an active mobilizer for the water cause, serving at the World Youth Parliament for Water, Water Youth Network, and International Water Association.
This project is more than just a contribution towards community development, it is about saving lives. The children who suffered snake bites when they defecate in the bush, the women that are molested or embarrassed when they could not properly address their hygiene needs, the fear of Covid19 spread when the lockdown is relieved and there are no accessible hygiene and sanitation facilities. These make the project Paramount to me.
Why others have focused their strength canvassing for intervention from government which has since turned to a mirage; my team is composed of experts whose developmental agendas are rooted in community mobilization and response.
As a member of active water networks, I have had the opportunity of contributing to many youth led water projects and importantly, I have served as either a consultant or an adviser on these projects. Similarly, the available water networks offer me a diverse area of water expertise that could be freely leveraged in perfectly executing the project.
Prior to now, I co-planned and coordinated the first ever Gombe State Youth conference on SDGs under the auspices of the Special Assistant to the Gombe State Governor. I further led the team that planned and established the Gombe States SDGs club in public secondary schools. This confirms my ability to mobilize a team in executing a project successfully.
Most importantly, my father is a plumber, I spent my primary and secondary school holidays learning from him as an apprentice. This practical skill is the most potent tool in my arsenal towards the execution of this project. I had worked with him in executing many water projects across the state including Irrigation, Dam water purification and channeling, and building of water storage systems. I had used the experience gained from this training at Afro-Cultivars as the director of irrigation, in the local plantain plantation before I later gained admission to study in the University.
When a developmental project involves multiple communities, the traditional beliefs and social-cultural realities of the region is always a significant factor to consider prior to intervention. This was the situation when I had to convene a statewide Youth conference on SDGs in Gombe State, Nigeria. I was born and trained in a different part of the country where a different ethnic and religions practice is obtainable. The SDGs conference was a priority while the human differences stand as barriers. I had learnt so much about community entry through special training at the Kwara State University centre for community development, I had equally learnt the hybrid model of community mobilization from a program at the University of Ghana
I adopted these skills and I was highly successful in mobilizing the Youths of the State for the Project. My background represented all odds against the project, as people like myself were perceived as enemies by the indigene of the State. Yet, my ability to sell my project to the people despite being on the odd of their beliefs coupled with the landmark transformations and partnerships that was recorded through brought about the peaceful coexistence between the said region and my people.
Since I departed from Gombe State Nigeria due to completion of National Service, I had since launched a Youth Development platform (@Spabyouthforum) that currently has membership across 12 States in Nigeria. The four developmental organs of this platform are Academics, Business, Social-Spiritual, and Politics. Since the inception of this platform, 8 members who were trained under the academic session went on to graduate with First Class honors in different disciplines, 2 members recently got fully funded international scholarships at McGill University Canada, and Skolkovo University Russia respectively to study courses that are relevant to local development. Another 8 members of the Forum that participated in the first cohort now have well established businesses. The last campaign of the Forum on depression due to Covid19 saw the participation of many youths, where we launched robust mental health awareness and provided psychological therapy through the support of the Global Mental Health Peer Network (GMHPN).
The above shows leadership that is focused on my personal establishment.
- Nonprofit
