Kuchidna is a community located after Guruku, before Kabusu, Karu Local government of Nasarawa State.
In February, 2017 I received a call from a friend Austin Chinonye Ekwujuru (founder of basicrightswatch.org) that he needs a community in Nasarawa state that lack clean water, primary health care and education.
I went for the quest in search of these communities and I first saw a community called GURUKU. It is a small town but live in luxury compare to their surrounding communities. When I met their king at his very mighty and luxurious mansion, at first, he kept me waiting while he gist and dine with his cronies. When he finally had time for me, he asked me few questions which are;
What is your name?
Which state are you from?
Why are you here?
When I responded my reason which includes bringing clean water to his people, he said, “show me your ID CARD, go back to the Local government Head quarters and write to them before coming to me”.
I was shocked but not surprise simply because the only police station in the town was the one that shares boundary with him and guards him always, the only pump water I saw in the town was the one in his palace. And the palace was not even at the center of the town but a little away from the people at the top of the hill.
He categorically told me to go and come back the next day without even putting into consideration the distance from where I came from or considering the difficult terrain or even giving me water to drink, but of course he would not understand because he rides in PRADO JEEP with good springs that will save him from the scourge.
When I left there with disappointment, I told the bike man that took me there to take me any where even if it is a community at the top of the mountain. We began to head towards KABUSU, with a tiny and tedious road, after going for like 3 kilo meters; I saw a very poor village with shabby looking and malnourished women and children. Along their tiny road was these two young men on bikes, I approached and greeted them and when I asked of their king, they happily took me to him in his palace.
Immediately, we were given drinks and warm welcome including the bike man that didn’t even know what the project was all about; in fact he slept off due to the warm comfort he received.
When I finished discussing with them, they were so excited that they took me round the village and showed me their only source of water, the entire community drinks from muddy water, contaminated with cow dunks and bacteria which have affected their people especially the pregnant women and children.
In addition, they also showed me their shabby primary health care and school where the pupils seat on the ground.
When I left, I made a commitment to bring solutions to their problems. I reported back to basic rights watch and we went for the mapping and need assessment.
When we visited their unequipped health clinic with very few drugs
After our findings, Basic Rights Watch submitted the proposals to livebridge foundation for pertnership. Livebridge foundation then sent Mr Paul to go and confirm it.
Then the water project began
Here comes the day of the commissioning where I led the team of EU staff, livebridge staff and volunteers to the one time unknown community of kuchidna located at the top of the mountain.
yeah it came but a fun consequences but we were fine with it
When we got to the community
Certificate of perticipation
When the work was published on one of the national dailies
for more information, kindly visit
https://basicrightswatch.org/
https://livebridgefoundation.net/
