How water threatens girl-child education in Kano – Daily Trust

For a long time, residents of Dutsen Bakoshi village in Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State have been battling a long-standing water disaster that has left them struggling to entry clear water for each day family use, a scenario that has continued to threaten the neighborhood’s financial growth. 

In a twisted destiny, not solely is the shortage of potable water threatening the event of the neighborhood, it has paradoxically taken a adverse toll on the education of the girl-child as many younger women have been pressured to drop out of faculty attributable to their steady each day seek for water for his or her numerous households.

Findings by Weekend Trust confirmed that with a inhabitants of over 40,000 individuals unfold throughout the 21 villages in the neighborhood, greater than half of the residents, principally farmers and their livestock, rely solely on seasonal dams that bear water solely in the course of the wet season for his or her each day water wants.

Findings additionally confirmed that residents, particularly women of faculty age, battle a number of hurdles to get water in the course of the dry season as entry to wash, potable water stays a each day problem in the neighborhood. 

Dutsen Bakoshi neighborhood is known as after its legendary founder who reportedly found a big rock in the realm, which is a significant attribute of the neighborhood that can not be missed by any customer in the realm. However, paradoxically, this edifice, which is meant to be a plus in phrases of tourism for the neighborhood, is alleged to be one, if not the foremost issue answerable for the water scarcity and typically lack of water in the realm.

Despite its dimension and the variety of surrounding villages, clear water stays a scarce necessity to come back by in the neighborhood.

Weekend Trust’s go to to the neighborhood confirmed a neighborhood the place women of faculty age fetch water from accessible earth dams throughout faculty hours, a sight that has turn into a norm in the neighborhood.

Malam Musa Isyaku, a resident in the neighborhood, defined what waking up each day in the neighborhood means, particularly for the girl-child. He famous that it means a continuation of each day wrestle in search of water. He defined that attributable to lack of water in the neighborhood, many kids, particularly their daughters, couldn’t absolutely attend faculty as a result of on a regular basis, they must trek lengthy distances in search of water for home use, particularly in the course of the dry season when the dams turn into dry.

“Every morning, our children have to leave in search of water; and you know that water is life. Every child has to ensure that his or her home has water for daily use before thinking of doing any other thing. This is our daily routine, especially during the dry season. Our children cannot afford to attend school fully because no matter what, they have to miss classes every day of the week. We are pleading with the government and anyone who can assist us to help bring an end to our suffering,” he mentioned.

Another resident, Malama Maryam Tijjani, mentioned earth dam had been their solely supply of water in the realm, and after it dries off in the course of the dry season, the hurdle of getting water begins till one other wet season. According to her, though the earth dam water will not be clear, it has been the best means for them to get water for the neighborhood’s each day use.

“We usually are not oblivious of the truth that the accessible water will not be clear for consumption however we would not have a alternative. Our best making an attempt moments yearly is in the course of the dry season as a result of water throughout that interval is the same as gold.

“Despite the fact that we have to use other means of water purification for the available water during the rainy season, as you can see, the water is still not clean. We use alum to treat it before we can use it,” Maryam mentioned. 

It was gathered that in dry season, members of the neighborhood cowl many kilometers earlier than they’ll get water, and those that can not go to that extent depend on water distributors. A 25-litre container of water is offered at N500 for these that may afford it.

“A jerry can of 25 litres of water costs N500 during the dry season. This has put many families in this area under a lot of pressure. If you require 100 litres of water daily in your home, it means you need N2,000 daily for water, meaning that in a month, you will spend N60,000. This is what we have been going through, and that has made us to allow our children to fetch water for us despite the distance and the fact that they will miss school every day. We want our children in school but there’s hardly time. We are struggling to find both food and water,” Habiba Tijjani narrated.

‘Sad to see our daughters stop school for water’

Malama Asma’u Umar, a mom of 4, mentioned though as moms they hate it when their kids miss their lessons or cease going to high school, they’d no possibility, particularly in the course of the dry season because the seek for water is prime precedence for many households in the neighborhood, and as such, problems with education has no place.

“Our children, especially daughters, walk long hours to get us the water we will use. Not every family can afford to buy water from water vendors. The government should assist us to get water so that our children can go to school,” she pleaded.

One of the neighborhood leaders in the realm, who can also be a father, Malam Saidu Turaki, mentioned it’s unlucky that members of different communities blame them for his or her incapability to ship their kids to high school, not understanding that the difficulty is deeply rooted in the neighborhood’s lack of water.

He defined that as mother and father, their want is to see that, like different kids in cities, theirs would additionally prosper in life by getting good educated. He referred to as on the authorities involved to, as a matter of urgency, come to assistance from their neighborhood by offering water.

“People often blame parents for their children not going to school, but it is mostly due to the water crisis, especially given our large population. We want our children to go places and make us proud as parents too, but we are faced with an issue that requires urgent attention from the government. We have done our best at the community level, but as you can see that our best is not enough,” he mentioned.

Malam Shuaibu Mustapha, a father of seven, famous that the neighborhood was properly knowledgeable on the significance of education however mentioned there’s equally a necessity for them to outlive as a household. According to him, water shortage in the neighborhood has turn into a problem they must take care of, particularly throughout dry season. He referred to as on the state authorities to help the native authorities in establishing another supply of water for the neighborhood.

‘Search for water hinders our education’

A 15-year-old Sadiqa Tijjani who lives along with her mother and father in the neighborhood stopped going to high school from JSS2 because of the accountability to go in search of water for her household. She informed Weekend Trust that she wished to go to high school and research however the seek for water each day, particularly in the course of the dry season, posed a risk.

“Getting water is extremely difficult. It takes so much of our time. We can’t even go to school because during the dry season, there’s no water at all and we have to look for it to survive. Many girls like me are currently not in school because we have to look for water for our parents,” she mentioned.

Sayyada Abdu, one other 16-year-old woman who additionally stopped going to high school at main 5, mentioned she actually missed research, including that the lengthy seek for potable water pressured her to desert her dream of getting good education.

She famous that many ladies in her neighborhood had since deserted faculty simply to help the household in search of water for his or her each day wants.

Reason for water scarcity

The ward head of Dutsen Bakoshi, Ibrahim Ahmed, defined that the shortage of potable water in the realm had its root in the neighborhood’s geographical location. According to him, findings confirmed that the realm lies beneath rocky plains that make it troublesome for households to dig wells for water provide. He added that people in the neighborhood had tried to drill boreholes however the job was past their capability.

He pleaded with well-meaning Nigerians and the state authorities to come back to assistance from the neighborhood by offering potable water for the individuals.

Similarly, the councilor representing Dutsen Bakoshi, Abba Muhammad Idris, mentioned that on many events, the native authorities had made a number of makes an attempt to drill a borehole in the realm however their efforts saved failing due to its topography.

“The authorities has made a number of makes an attempt however our land is rocky. We have drilled as deep as 150 to 200 meters with out discovering water. This dam is our neFrom Abdulazeez Ibrahim, Kano

For a long time, residents of Dutsen Bakoshi village in Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State have been battling a long-standing water disaster that has left them struggling to entry clear water for each day family use, a scenario that has continued to threaten the neighborhood’s financial growth. 

In a twisted destiny, not solely is the shortage of potable water threatening the event of the neighborhood, it has paradoxically taken a adverse toll on the education of the girl-child as many younger women have been pressured to drop out of faculty attributable to their steady each day seek for water for his or her numerous households.

Findings by Weekend Trust confirmed that with a inhabitants of over 40,000 individuals unfold throughout the 21 villages in the neighborhood, greater than half of the residents, principally farmers and their livestock, rely solely on seasonal dams that bear water solely in the course of the wet season for his or her each day water wants.

Findings additionally confirmed that residents, particularly women of faculty age, battle a number of hurdles to get water in the course of the dry season as entry to wash, potable water stays a each day problem in the neighborhood. 

Dutsen Bakoshi neighborhood is known as after its legendary founder who reportedly found a big rock in the realm, which is a significant attribute of the neighborhood that can not be missed by any customer in the realm. However, paradoxically, this edifice, which is meant to be a plus in phrases of tourism for the neighborhood, is alleged to be one, if not the foremost issue answerable for the water scarcity and typically lack of water in the realm.

Despite its dimension and the variety of surrounding villages, clear water stays a scarce necessity to come back by in the neighborhood.

Weekend Trust’s go to to the neighborhood confirmed a neighborhood the place women of faculty age fetch water from accessible earth dams throughout faculty hours, a sight that has turn into a norm in the neighborhood.

Malam Musa Isyaku, a resident in the neighborhood, defined what waking up each day in the neighborhood means, particularly for the girl-child. He famous that it means a continuation of each day wrestle in search of water. He defined that attributable to lack of water in the neighborhood, many kids, particularly their daughters, couldn’t absolutely attend faculty as a result of on a regular basis, they must trek lengthy distances in search of water for home use, particularly in the course of the dry season when the dams turn into dry.

“Every morning, our children have to leave in search of water; and you know that water is life. Every child has to ensure that his or her home has water for daily use before thinking of doing any other thing. This is our daily routine, especially during the dry season. Our children cannot afford to attend school fully because no matter what, they have to miss classes every day of the week. We are pleading with the government and anyone who can assist us to help bring an end to our suffering,” he mentioned.

Another resident, Malama Maryam Tijjani, mentioned earth dam had been their solely supply of water in the realm, and after it dries off in the course of the dry season, the hurdle of getting water begins till one other wet season. According to her, though the earth dam water will not be clear, it has been the best means for them to get water for the neighborhood’s each day use.

“We usually are not oblivious of the truth that the accessible water will not be clear for consumption however we would not have a alternative. Our best making an attempt moments yearly is in the course of the dry season as a result of water throughout that interval is the same as gold.

“Despite the fact that we have to use other means of water purification for the available water during the rainy season, as you can see, the water is still not clean. We use alum to treat it before we can use it,” Maryam mentioned. 

It was gathered that in dry season, members of the neighborhood cowl many kilometers earlier than they’ll get water, and those that can not go to that extent depend on water distributors. A 25-litre container of water is offered at N500 for these that may afford it.

“A jerry can of 25 litres of water costs N500 during the dry season. This has put many families in this area under a lot of pressure. If you require 100 litres of water daily in your home, it means you need N2,000 daily for water, meaning that in a month, you will spend N60,000. This is what we have been going through, and that has made us to allow our children to fetch water for us despite the distance and the fact that they will miss school every day. We want our children in school but there’s hardly time. We are struggling to find both food and water,” Habiba Tijjani narrated.

‘Sad to see our daughters stop school for water’

Malama Asma’u Umar, a mom of 4, mentioned though as moms they hate it when their kids miss their lessons or cease going to high school, they’d no possibility, particularly in the course of the dry season because the seek for water is prime precedence for many households in the neighborhood, and as such, problems with education has no place.

“Our children, especially daughters, walk long hours to get us the water we will use. Not every family can afford to buy water from water vendors. The government should assist us to get water so that our children can go to school,” she pleaded.

One of the neighborhood leaders in the realm, who can also be a father, Malam Saidu Turaki, mentioned it’s unlucky that members of different communities blame them for his or her incapability to ship their kids to high school, not understanding that the difficulty is deeply rooted in the neighborhood’s lack of water.

He defined that as mother and father, their want is to see that, like different kids in cities, theirs would additionally prosper in life by getting good educated. He referred to as on the authorities involved to, as a matter of urgency, come to assistance from their neighborhood by offering water.

“People often blame parents for their children not going to school, but it is mostly due to the water crisis, especially given our large population. We want our children to go places and make us proud as parents too, but we are faced with an issue that requires urgent attention from the government. We have done our best at the community level, but as you can see that our best is not enough,” he mentioned.

Malam Shuaibu Mustapha, a father of seven, famous that the neighborhood was properly knowledgeable on the significance of education however mentioned there’s equally a necessity for them to outlive as a household. According to him, water shortage in the neighborhood has turn into a problem they must take care of, particularly throughout dry season. He referred to as on the state authorities to help the native authorities in establishing another supply of water for the neighborhood.

‘Search for water hinders our education’

A 15-year-old Sadiqa Tijjani who lives along with her mother and father in the neighborhood stopped going to high school from JSS2 because of the accountability to go in search of water for her household. She informed Weekend Trust that she wished to go to high school and research however the seek for water each day, particularly in the course of the dry season, posed a risk.

“Getting water is extremely difficult. It takes so much of our time. We can’t even go to school because during the dry season, there’s no water at all and we have to look for it to survive. Many girls like me are currently not in school because we have to look for water for our parents,” she mentioned.

Sayyada Abdu, one other 16-year-old woman who additionally stopped going to high school at main 5, mentioned she actually missed research, including that the lengthy seek for potable water pressured her to desert her dream of getting good education.

She famous that many ladies in her neighborhood had since deserted faculty simply to help the household in search of water for his or her each day wants.

Reason for water scarcity

The ward head of Dutsen Bakoshi, Ibrahim Ahmed, defined that the shortage of potable water in the realm had its root in the neighborhood’s geographical location. According to him, findings confirmed that the realm lies beneath rocky plains that make it troublesome for households to dig wells for water provide. He added that people in the neighborhood had tried to drill boreholes however the job was past their capability.

He pleaded with well-meaning Nigerians and the state authorities to come back to assistance from the neighborhood by offering potable water for the individuals.

Similarly, the councilor representing Dutsen Bakoshi, Abba Muhammad Idris, mentioned that on many events, the native authorities had made a number of makes an attempt to drill a borehole in the realm however their efforts saved failing due to its topography.

“The government has made several attempts but our land is rocky. We have drilled as deep as 150 to 200 meters without finding water. This dam is our nearest source. Once it dries up, we walk for hours to get water or buy from vendors. The case is before the council and I am sure that something will be done soon,” he mentioned.

Govt’s effort

Also talking on the difficulty, the council chairman, Abubakar Barau Shanon, mentioned they had been making efforts to make sure that the neighborhood has entry to potable water. He mentioned the council was making an attempt to accomplice with the authorities in the state and different water-providing businesses to make sure that an enduring answer to the water drawback is offered.

“At the local government level, we plan to conduct another site survey this week. While we haven’t found a suitable location within the town, we identified a viable spot some distance away. Unfortunately, this means that people will have to go a little far distance to access it, so the water challenge within the town remains. Last year, during the dry season, those who attempted to use water for irrigation farming could not do so because the people and livestock needed the water,” he mentioned.arest supply. Once it dries up, we stroll for hours to get water or purchase from distributors. The case is earlier than the council and I’m certain that one thing can be performed quickly,” he mentioned.

Govt’s effort

Also talking on the difficulty, the council chairman, Abubakar Barau Shanon, mentioned they had been making efforts to make sure that the neighborhood has entry to potable water. He mentioned the council was making an attempt to accomplice with the authorities in the state and different water-providing businesses to make sure that an enduring answer to the water drawback is offered.

“At the local government level, we plan to conduct another site survey this week. While we haven’t found a suitable location within the town, we identified a viable spot some distance away. Unfortunately, this means that people will have to go a little far distance to access it, so the water challenge within the town remains. Last year, during the dry season, those who attempted to use water for irrigation farming could not do so because the people and livestock needed the water,” he mentioned.