By Betsie Campion Smith, project coordinator for the Egbe Hospital Revitilization Project in Nigeria
Approximately 8,000 gallons of water is needed daily to provide water to Egbe Hospital, the Nurses Training School, Midwifery School and the George Campion Academy.
Egbe has two large reservoirs and three bore holes. Although the reservoirs are full, they are a mile away, so getting the water to the compound is a major problem. Only one of the bore holes is functioning, and reservoir one has been leaking for many years.
As the dry season comes to an end, there is an increased sense of urgency to fix the reservoir, starting by draining it to expose the walls so the cracks can be fixed.
Hundreds of volunteers from the Egbe churches, Egbe Concern Group, and local schools, have been arriving daily to clear the brush, dig trenches, and remove the clay muck under Samaritan’s Purse program manager Mark Anderson’s supervision. Their incredible show of support is a testimony to the people of Egbe of their generosity and strong desire to see the hospital revitalized.
Once the walls are repaired, the filtration and pumping system will be addressed. In the meantime, two 500-gallon tanks have been installed on the compound to supply the missionary homes.
Although it is a huge project, once completed, the reservoirs that have been used for almost 50 years will continue to supply as much water as needed to the compound year-round.
