Waiting for the 'White Water'

In Nigeria, one community that has never had potable water finally gets it.

What would you do if you didn't have clean drinking water? Most of us take that for granted, but in Nigeria, one community that has never had potable water finally gets it because of the work of the nonprofit BudgIT Foundation.

Their joy—and their loss and their challenges in finally getting the “white water”—has to be seen to be understood.

This is a short film for Scientific American by Franklin Adegbie. It’s a product of the Solutions Storytelling Project, an initiative from the Video Consortium that is supported by the Skoll Foundation.


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TRANSCRIPT

Jubril Mudu: At the time my son died, we buried him in the bush.

For us, when a small child dies, it’s not good to bury him at home.

At times, I used to go and pray for him or to go out and clear the place.

I’ve left my child to the dirt, but now I’m clearing the dirt off his grave.

I remember him every year. I pray to God that [though] my child died it will not be in vain forever.

God, as I kneel before you, if it’s the death of my child that will help us have water in this community,I’m offering my prayers to you, God. Please send us people to give us water.

God Almighty, send a person that will help our community to bring us water because people have been dying.

Many people have been dying in the village because of dirty water in our community.

In everything we do, God, we are begging you: please hold our hands and help us.

Chorus: ♪  Zokutu is nice. ♪

♪  Zokutu is beautiful. ♪

♪ Zokutu is nice. ♪

♪ We should all go there to live. ♪

♪ Zokutu is nice. ♪

Oluseun Onigbinde: This community has suffered a challenge. For over 40 years, they’ve not had access to potable water — dependent on taking water from a stream, a very, very difficult endeavor in itself.

And that’s how they’ve been able to have any kind of water.

Chorus: This our road.

Woman One: I came very early to secure space, so that I can get water.

Come help put it on my head.

Woman Two: Were you ahead of me?

Woman Three: Yes, it’s my turn.

Woman Two: Are you just letting her go first, or are we moving according to the line?

Yohana Bauta: Here, we don’t have water to drink. We are dying.

Cholera has broken out in Zokutu, and it’s spreading.

Some people have left the community because of this water problem. They left because they’re afraid.

Bauta (tape): Well done, well done.

Well done, well done. 

Bauta: Another child died not so long ago, then Jubril’s son died. His son’s death really hurt me.

I’m not saying that the others didn’t hurt, but so many people have died because of this water issue.

Jubril Mudu: Because of the dirty water, it killed my son.

The doctor admitted my son to the hospital. The doctor checked my son, and he said it’s cholera.

He started treatment, but the treatment [didn’t work]. He now told us to go to [General] Hospital, Abaji. 

As we were on the road, we hadn’t gotten far, [and] my son gave up.

Laruba Mudu: When you drink this water, it upsets your stomach. You can’t sleep. You can’t do anything.

Many people’s children help them. Now I have no one. If I send other people’s kids on errands, they tell me to send mine. Should I go to the grave to dig out my dead child?

Woman (tape): Welcome. Welcome.

Jubril Mudu: These yams are heavy.

Onigbinde: Every single family here has a story to tell about how this lack of access to potable water has either created permanent impairment or even loss of life.

When our officer, a community champion, Garba, showed up here to talk about that they can help them facilitate their engagement with government, or they can work together to ensure that this potable water system happens, it was challenging.

So we spoke to almost everybody. We went to the local council; we went to the federal representative; we spoke to the senator; we engaged the Ministry of Water Resources. And made them see as a people you are not helpless, and you just need to constantly put pressure on to make sure that you get the resources that you need.

Woman: Have you heard? We’ve all seen how sickness has been affecting us because of our water.

Don’t we see how our children die when we use bad water?

So let us all be careful and act accordingly with our new water.

Onigbinde: This is changing. This is transformative. This is a new step forward. What we’ve seen here with women and the amazing enjoyment — I’m so happy. I’m also very happy for them.

They call it white water.

It’s not something they are used to every day.

Chorus: ♪  White water that we wanted  ♪

♪ is what we now have. ♪

Samuel Danjuma: We are bringing this to two other communities.

Onigbinde: It’s better late than never, so glory to God.

Danjuma: It took us a long time to be able to achieve this because it is not easy.

We had to bring in specialists. What you’re seeing here is about 200 meters deep. Because as they’re digging it, you also have to build it, like, cast it from the ground where it will not collapse, putting pipe and also a massive pump and also provide [an] overhead tank.

And I, I really want to appreciate Tracka, the consistent calling and coming to the community just to see that this thing is achievable.

We came here as government, from the office of Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda, who made sure that this project comes to a success, and to also thank the people of Zokotu, especially the chief of Zokutu, who also provided a space, and the community, too,

[for] giving us the support.

So to the glory of God Almighty, we commission this water in the name of the Father ... 

Crowd: Amen!

Danjuma: the Son ...

Crowd: Amen!

Danjuma: and the Holy Spirit.

Woman: I have not had this kind of bath before.

I have not had this kind of bath before.

I have not had this kind of bath before.

Crowd: Aduda!

Aduda! Aduda! Aduda!

Aduda! Aduda! Aduda!

♪   Senator of Abuja.  ♪

♪ Let’s all go to see ♪

♪ our senator. ♪

♪ God will keep him. ♪

♪ as the senator of Abuja. ♪

♪ Let’s all go to see ♪

♪ our senator. ♪

♪ God will keep him ♪

♪ as the senator of Abuja. ♪

♪ Let’s all go to see ♪

♪ our senator. ♪

♪ God will keep him ♪

♪ as the senator of Abuja. ♪