The “Water Aid” initiative reached an estimated 1400 residents of Zone 6 neighborhood in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory. The exercise was flagged off at about 8:30 am, with house-to-house mobilization about the initiative. One thirteen-year-old boy who was searching for water with two cans in hand was delighted when he collided with one of the 11,000 liter water tank.

Interviews with residents revealed that most part of the neighborhood have no access to potable water for over 4 years. According to one woman “I moved to this neighborhood three years ago and we never had water. This initiative by this organization will go a long way.” Another resident said, “We spent at least N250 naira per day buying water from commercial truck pushers. Sometimes, we cannot attest the purity of the water but buy it all the same. But with this initiative, my entire household could go on for three to four days.”

According to the EASiN Project Coordinator, the initiative was one of the several others identified during a platform organized for volunteers in May 2007. Speaking of EASiN’s membership, during an interview, Ayanda said “We are a group of young volunteers with no affiliation to any political or religious group but have a common goal to contribute to social change in our communities.” She continues, “We are not waiting to be asked, rather, we are taking the lead in changing little elements in our society with a conviction that like little water drops, they will add up.”

The water aid was one of the efforts of EASiN under its community development initiative to “Be the Change”. The “Be-the-Change” initiative is a monthly platform for young volunteers to harness their energy, wits and resources towards achieving improvements in specific areas and sectors of the society. The Water Aid initiative which was held on Saturday, July 21, enjoyed media coverage from Capital FM, a radio station, and Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Nigeria’s National Television Network. Both Medias have an estimated coverage of 18 million.

Explaining the scope of the EASiN initiative, Ayanda said, “Emerging Adults for Solutions in Nigeria (EASiN) provides a framework that significantly expands opportunities for millions of young adults to gain access to livelihood and contribute to development in their communities, through various incentives, opportunities, business coaching and/or capital for their entrepreneurial ideas.”

To sustain the initiative, EASiN will work with private organizations to continue weekly supply of water to the neighborhood whilst initiating discussions with the Federal Capital Territory Water Board and other stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the problem.

Members of EASiN are now focusing on other priority environmental, cultural and identity issues. The mission of EASiN is to develop a cohort of emerging citizens who would actively participate in social change in their immediate communities. The most important aspect of EASiN intervention is promote individual responsibility among young people and develop their capacities to make the right choices for themselves, their families and their communities. It is the goal of EASiN to have graduates of our programs as future icons and mentors, spearheading social change and entrepreneurial initiatives leading to individual sustenance and self-sufficiency, national growth, and fostering good governance.