EMPOWERMENT EFFORTS ARE MEANINGLESS WITHOUT ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER FOR POOR WIDOWS IN NIGERIA.

In support of the Widows of the impoverished communities of Owehru in Katchuan Irruan, Boki local government of Cross River State, I moved to Owehru in Katchuan Irruan to celebrate this year's Widows Day, June 23. We celebrated the day in the dirty water of AJUJU stagnant stream where we all went to was the locust beans I buy for them to start their small businesses. What I saw as we washed in that stream, threw me off balance. The native use the same water for washing clothes, food stuff, plates and bathing, while at the same time, fetching some of the water from locations they regard as 'clean areas' that can be used for drinking. Up the stream is where the male folk who returned from the farms have their bath while the women and children converge down the stream to perform their daily chores as well as take some bath also. I incredible this may sound, but it is real. I worked with them this way, but used the opportunity to tell them stories of how common diseases that could have been prevented but for ignorance, caused by environmental and water issues have killed so many. Water-borne diseases and all of that. 

Back home, the mud houses they live in, their cooking locations and sleeping places are just as dirty as the stream.

I stayed with the Widow I have visited many times. Madam Elizabeth Obi. She is the contact person of the Widows I work with at Katchuan Irruan. She and her daughter In-law are the bread winners of the home. Her son isn't financial strong. Other sons and only daughter also, have left their children under her care. Madam Elizabeth is above 70 years old.

I had to join in the processing of the product to ensure that the sanitation and hygiene processes were observed. From cooking to washing, fermentation stage and drying of the product. This means having to spend one full week in the community with my Widows. Today, I hired a motor cyclist to bring me to Ogoja, some 2o kilometers away from Katchuan Irruan to send my story on World Pulse since tomorrow is the last day. 

There is no internet network in Katchuan Irruan and you have to boat through your nose to get some to take you to where you can get some internet network to communicate online. Sad.

We have cooked the locust beans. cooking takes up to 8 hours on super hot fire. we have washed it. thorough washing must be done, otherwise, the end product would come out bitter and not fit for consumption. this is the hardest stage of processing. it could take a full day to sieve out the chaff from the beans and you must ensure that it is put back on fire immediately to enhance fermentation that lasts for three to four days. Then it is ready to be brought into the open for consumption. Ours take extra days to dry because we have to send it to far away places. It can only remain durable when properly dried in the hot sun. We are having more challenges now that the rains are heavy.

Yes, I brought out the brief picture of what these poor Widows go through just to process what they can add to their soup to boost their nutrition, even as they have to sell a little to keep little Moby for their children's education and clothing. Terrible.

They have no access to farmlands because they are Women. Their husbands are no longer there to fight for them.  Their husbands father's and brothers and uncles have sized all that belonged to their husbands.

Here again, is the problem if water. I have created a means of livelihood for them but they have no clean water to use. This challenge keeps her children away from school. Some who may tey to be in school spend hours looking for clean water that they may not even get. They go late to school. The stay out of school. 

They locust beans business cannot strive if they do not have access to clean water. Coupled with the rigours processing methods, these Widows, I am afraid may not really find it encouraging to engage in it if solutions are put forward to assist them.

Empowering them can only be meaningful if they are provided with access to clean water. With access to portable water, they can fight diseases and poverty exacerbated by poor sanitation and hygiene.

Access to clean water would help keep their children in school.

I have also sent an appeal for donation to this cause through  water.org. fundraising initiative. I am hopeful that it would yield some good results even as await more support from more kind hearted people and organizations.

In as much as I will appreciate the support for providing access to portable water supply for the women, I also will appreciate any other kind gesture that