As a result of Hungarian cooperation—including support from the Hungary Helps Program—numerous wells have been built in recent years in the Obodoukwu area of Nigeria. Consequently, locals now have daily access to clean drinking water. Our colleague recently visited the sites to personally verify the success of the project.
Clean water is a fundamental need for life. In areas where it is unavailable or difficult to access, people are often forced to emigrate. In Nigeria—Africa’s most populous country—many settlements have no piped drinking water at all, and bottled water is unaffordable for many due to its price. Therefore, drilling wells is not only useful but an essential development: it improves quality of life and reduces the pressure to emigrate.
Father Esiobu Anayo Augustus (a parish priest serving in Békés County) has lived in Hungary since 2000. He was the one who, in 2022, approached us with a request to help construct wells in his homeland, Nigeria. As he explained: even in larger cities, there is no piped drinking water; wealthier people drill their own wells and then sell the water bottled or in plastic bags—while the quality of natural water sources in densely populated areas is often questionable. For the poorer population, bagged water is the only available solution, but even that costs money—meaning the price itself can be a barrier to accessing water. Possible free water sources are streams—if there are any at all. In several settlements, people must walk 10–12 kilometres daily to fetch water.
In recent years, thanks to support from the Hungary Helps Program, the Debrecen-Nyíregyháza Diocese, and Hungarian private donors, functioning wells have been constructed in five out of ten settlements in the Obodoukwu district—in the villages of Umunwarahu, Umune, Umuoka, Umunkwukwa, and at the district’s main secondary school. As a result, about 14,000 to 15,000 people can access clean water nearby daily, completely free of charge, as selling water from the wells is strictly prohibited.
The political and religious leaders of the settlements welcomed the wells with joy and gratitude, considering them a life-saving gift. As a sign of their gratitude, all five wells were named after a Hungarian saint, Saint Elizabeth.
“The wells, as sources of water, symbolize the charitable service of Saint Elizabeth and her commitment to the poor,” Father Augustus said earlier.
Recently, during a mission to Nigeria, our colleague visited the sites to inspect the operation of the wells and to discuss possibilities for continuing the work. He also tasted the well water — photos from the visit can be viewed in the gallery.
