Joy and celebration filled the premises of St. Joseph’s CAC Nursery and Primary School, Ikere-Ekiti, as Olive Grange Foundation officially commissioned a new borehole water facility aimed at providing clean, safe, and accessible drinking water to pupils, staff, and the surrounding community.
The project marks the Foundation’s third school-based clean water intervention in Ekiti State, following similar initiatives at Baptist Nursery/Primary School, Igede-Ekiti and St. John’s Anglican Nursery/Primary School, Ise-Ekiti.
Speaking during the commissioning, the Project Supervisor of Olive Grange Foundation, Moyinoluwa Ogundowole, described the initiative as a deliberate response to the growing need for safe drinking water in underserved communities.
She said access to clean water is fundamental to life and explained that the Foundation’s clean water initiative began in 2024.
According to her, the newly commissioned borehole is intended not only to serve the school but also to provide potable water for the surrounding community.
Ogundowole noted that the rocky terrain in the area has made access to safe drinking water particularly challenging, making the borehole a critical intervention that will improve public health and convenience for residents.
She added that the facility would reduce dependence on unsafe water sources while encouraging children and community members to consume clean drinking water instead of sugary or carbonated beverages.
She also stressed the importance of sustainability, urging the school management to establish a strong maintenance culture by ensuring the facility is properly managed, water is pumped regularly, and damaged components such as taps are repaired promptly.
She emphasized that the borehole should remain accessible because it was designed to benefit both the school and the wider community.
Also speaking, the Foundation’s Program officer, Esther Ademoroti, said the intervention was designed to improve the health and well-being of pupils through reliable access to safe drinking water.
She explained that assessments conducted by the Foundation revealed that the school’s previous water source was unsuitable for drinking, expressing confidence that the new facility would significantly improve the health of pupils while also benefiting nearby residents.
Ademuruti further urged the school authorities to take full ownership of the project, noting that proper maintenance would ensure the infrastructure continues to serve future generations of pupils.
The Headmistress of the school, Bosede Adamolekun described the project as the end of years of hardship, recalling that the school previously depended on a well whose water often became contaminated during the rainy season due to erosion.
She explained that the water frequently changed colour after rainfall, making it unsafe for pupils to drink stressing that children sometimes had to leave the school premises in search of water within the community, while the school occasionally purchased sachet water to meet their needs.
She said the Foundation’s decision to provide a borehole came as a welcome relief and described it as an answered prayer.
According to her, pupils now arrive at school with empty water bottles because they are confident of having access to clean and safe drinking water throughout the day.
The school’s Assistant Headmistress, Oyenike Ojo also expressed appreciation, stating that the project had transformed the daily experience of pupils who previously struggled to access safe water during school hours.
The Chairman of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), Adekala Adeleye, described the project as a life-changing intervention that would have lasting benefits for pupils, teachers, and members of the host community.
He said the facility would improve access to drinking water, promote better hygiene, and make life easier for everyone, while praying for the continued success of the Foundation.
The commissioning ceremony also attracted stakeholders from the water, sanitation, and development sectors.
Ekiti State Coordinator of the Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN), Dr. Mary Adeyanju, described the project as a commendable investment in children’s health and education.
She noted that access to clean water helps prevent waterborne diseases, improves school attendance, and enhances learning outcomes, while encouraging more organisations and individuals to support schools with similar interventions.
Representing the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Utilities, Mr. Edward Oluwayomi commended Olive Grange Foundation for complementing government efforts to expand access to potable water.
He described the project as a laudable initiative capable of inspiring other organisations to undertake similar interventions and advised the school management to establish a maintenance committee to ensure the long-term sustainability of the facility.
Other stakeholders at the commissioning also lauded Olive Grange Foundation for the intervention, describing it as an impactful contribution to education, public health, and community development.
They noted that the provision of clean water would improve the pupils’ well-being, enhance hygiene, reduce the risk of waterborne diseases.
