Water is life, this we all know, that it is nature’s way of ensuring survival—not just for humans but for all living things. While one can survive without food for weeks, life without water is just impossible. Yet, many communities in Nigeria still face daily struggles to access this essential resource.
This year’s World Water Day theme highlights the global importance of water preservation. Though Nigeria doesn’t have glaciers, their melting due to climate change is a warning sign for everyone. So while climate change may seem like a distant issue for us, its effects are felt acutely in regions like ours. Changing rainfall patterns, increased droughts, and rising temperatures all contribute to water scarcity, impacting agriculture, sanitation, and our overall well-being. Even without glaciers, the change in the global climate greatly affects the local climate and water access.
Recognizing the critical importance of water access, Karim Adeyemi Foundation has made WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) a core focus of our work. We’ve taken tangible steps to address water scarcity by providing boreholes for not one but five underserved communities across Ibadan, where clean drinking water was a distant dream. These efforts are more than just infrastructure; they are lifelines.
They represent hope and opportunity.
They ensure children can attend school instead of spending hours fetching water, or being prone to waterborne diseases due to intake of contaminated water, they make our societies safer and healthier, everything is connected to everything.
Water connects us all. Nature provides the resources we need to thrive but nature’s systems are fragile. When we neglect preservation efforts—whether through pollution of our oceans, rivers and lakes with refuse dumping, deforestation, or overuse—we upset the delicate balance that ensures a steady water supply.
Preserving water requires global and local action. In Nigeria, this means prioritizing water management policies, investing in sustainable WASH infrastructure, and educating communities on the importance of conservation. At the global level, addressing climate change through cleaner energy and sustainable practices is highly crucial.
Progress and change is possible when communities work together. We believe that by working together we can build a more water-secure future for all. More needs to be done, everyone of us has a role to play in preserving water resources, not just for today but for future generations.
As we commemorate World Water Day, let’s remember that water is more than a necessity—it’s our only link to survival on earth. Whether it’s glaciers half a world away or boreholes in our backyard, the message is clear: we must protect our sources of life. Let us remember that every drop counts, and every action matters, starting from our home, our communities, and our neighbourhoods.
Together let’s take the bottom-up approach towards a better life for all.
Aanu Oluyide
A Multidisciplinary professional who drives social impact, and social interventions through effective administrative management, strategic communications, community engagement, psychosocial support, resource linkage for vulnerable people, not - for - profit org experience.
