Water awareness project 2010

Hey, I'm really sorry that I have been AWOL for two good months. oh my, summer ended, school started and it's winter already because I don't think the fall season exists anymore.

Below is the shorter version of the report for the project that I ran in Nigeria, this summer.

Much thanks to ~B~ of 1BlackButterfly, who supported me.
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This summer, I started and ran ‘The Water Awareness Project’ in Abuja, Nigeria, with the aid of the Rausch Internship grant from the Environmental Studies Department in my school. There is a growing water crisis in Nigeria with a large proportion of the population having no access to safe drinking water. It is estimated that only half of the 140 million people have access to safe water, and even fewer to basic sanitation facilities.

The goal of Water Awareness Project (WAP) was to create awareness among Nigerian youths on the role of water in practicing good sanitation habits, while emphasizing water conservation practices. In June, I gave 30-minute to 60-minute talks on the role of water in sanitation and water conservation practices in twenty-schools in Central Abuja. In July, I worked with the pupils of an Abro Hallmark International School, located in Mpape, Abuja, a settlement deficient of portable water. With the help of a plumber, the pupils and I installed a water tank that employs a rainwater harvesting system from the rooftop of a school building. This particular activity emphasized the importance of community engagement from one’s younger years and showed a water conservation practice. With the tank installation, It is hoped that the students will spend less time in search of water before classes and medical costs will be reduced as a result of water-related diseases contracted from the use of contaminated water.

At the end of July, I had concluded the water awareness project and conducted mini surveys from the students in participating schools. In the near future, I plan to extend this project to more schools in other parts of Nigeria.

Water awareness project 2010

    From my recent posts, you will know that I am working towards a community-service project centered on water sanitation and personal hygiene. Thanks to America and my generous university, I was awarded a grant to sponsor my independent project, the reason behind this post's title. The first half of the project involves giving talks on water sanitation, conservation and personal hygiene in twenty schools. The latter half will involve installing a plastic water tank, using a rainwater catchment system, in a school in Mpape. Mpape, is a rural settlement 15 minutes from Maitama, with little or no access to portable water.
    I have some construction experience but I'm still looking for a volunteer(s) to assist with or partake in this project.  I already know this project is going to be so much fun and beneficial. If you  have some free time in June and July in Abuja, holla, yinkuslolo@gmail.com !! Even if you don't want to help but just meet-up/chit-chat, still contact me
    
    PS: I am sitting in Heathrow waiting for my flight to Abuja and I see a Nigerian jamming to a gigantic iPod because he is working around with an iPad. Jeez! I did not know people actually bought that gadget jajaja. I’m so glad to be going back to the motherland after a long time. I’ll put up this post, when I get to Abuja.
    On another note, I want to explore Abuja this summer, no joke. Suggestions for hotspots and hidden goodies are welcome.

Je t'embarasse.

Inhale

"...in the midst of organic chemistry, with its frightfully dull theoretical problems, and involved cases of isomerism and hydrocarbon radicals-the benzene ring, etc etc- I found myself so wretchedly bored that I positively could not study for more than fifteen minutes without acquiring an excruciating headache which prostrated ne completely for the test of the day."

-H. P. LOVECRAFT
I'm beasting for my organic chem finals.




In other news, guess whose environmental proposal was approved with sufficient grant?
ps. I purposely disallowed comments. Thanks for wishing me well. I'll be back with the details in a few days.