Seminarians in Nigeria say 'Thank You' for a Water Tanker to Provide Clean Water
Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Project Code: 141-02-29

This year the minor seminary of Saint Joseph in Zaria is celebrating its golden jubilee, and, through the generosity of ACN’s benefactors, that celebration will be all the more joyful thanks to an abundant supply of clean water.

Life for the seminarians has never been easy. Zaria lies in the overwhelmingly Islamic North of Nigeria, and ever since the seminary was opened, the missionaries have faced hostility. But over time the situation in the North of Nigeria has become ever more dangerous for Christians. In 1987, the seminary was completely burnt down during a time of religious rioting.
 
Thankfully, through the courage and effort of staff and students alike, the seminary rose again from the ashes, and today it continues to train young men, who will later enter either a major seminary or a religious order. And each year the number of students increases.

The seminary continues to face major challenges. Securing a supply of electricity and clean drinking water, together represent core problems. Although the seminary has two wells, they only have water in them during the rainy season, from June until October. During the dry season, which lasts from November to  May, the seminary has to buy water.

To make matters worse, the quality of the water is very poor, and the seminarians often suffer from various waterborne infections due to the unclean water, including dangerous diseases as typhus, cholera and hepatitis. This had tended to undermine the whole teaching program, since instead of focusing on providing a good education, the seminary had to spend more and more time and money on medical treatment for the students.

Fortunately, thanks to the generosity of our benefactors, ACN was able to come to the rescue with a donation of $28,900 so that the seminary could purchase a water tanker capable of carrying over 2,600 gallons. This makes it much easier to purchase good, clean drinking water.

The rector of the seminary, Michael Kagargo has written to say: "Thank you for your help, and please be assured that all of us, students, parents, seminary staff and the people of God here, as well as I myself, will pray for all your benefactors."

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