Zain Commissions CSR Project in Obowo

Zain Nigeria as part of its corporate social responsibility has commissioned a community water project in Alike Obowo in Imo State.
The Obowo Alike Water Project is one of the hundreds Zain has mapped out for communities across the country. The Obowo project is the first for the projects in the company’s Eastern Territory comprising about eight states.
Speaking at the commissioning, Alain Sainte Marie, chief executive officer of Zain Nigeria, expressed the determination of the telecommunications giant to deliver water boreholes in the 774 local governments in the country.
Sainte Marie, who was represented by Osondu Nwokoro, director of Regulatory Affairs, Zain Nigeria said the commissioning of the water borehole project in Obowo demonstrates Zain Nigeria’s unflinching pledge to its corporate philosophy of a wonderful world, adding that the company will strive not only to provide world class telecommunication experience for its esteemed customers, but also endeavour to support the social economic development of communities in which it operates.
Citing the Millennium Development Goals report of 2008, Sainte-Marie, said water use has grown at more than twice the rate of the population over the past century, noting that though there is not yet a global water shortage, about 2.8 billion people representing more than 40 per cent of the world population, live in river basins with some form of water scarcity.
According to him, another 1.6 billion people live in areas of economic water scarcity, where human, institutional and financial capital limit access to water, even though water in nature is available locally to meet human demands.
Against this backdrop, he noted that the provision of water cannot be left in the hands of the government alone, saying that Zain Nigeria will always partner government and keep seeking opportunities in providing water for underserved rural communities across the country as such gestures would go a long way to improve the health status of community people, especially mothers and children.
He further disclosed that as part of on-going efforts to lift rural communities, Zain plans to rehabilitate existing boreholes across Nigeria in a bid to reduce the burden of fetching and carrying water from long distances.
He urged the people of Obowo community to regard the borehole as their property, saying that the responsibility to protect as well as ensure the safety and smooth operation of the facility lies with them.
He said that as a telecommunications company, Zain cannot claim expertise in water provision or maintenance of boreholes, advising that community members should look after the facility and treat it as their own.
Responding, Senator Sylvester Anyanwu, chairman, Senate Committee on Communications, who is representing Imo North Senatorial Zone and a son of the Obowo community, commended Zain Nigeria for its effort at giving back to the community just as he assured that the people of Alike Obowo would remain grateful for the gesture.
Recalling Zain’s other CSR initiatives, Senator Anyanwu said: “I support what Zain is doing in Nigeria and Imo State. They understand the importance of giving back to the community where they do business as way of encouraging the people that make of their lines.”
Spokesperson for the Obowo community, Chief Austin Nwigwe also thanked Zain Nigeria for its efforts at empowering rural communities. The people of Obowo, he stated, are always ready to collaborate with the Telco Operator in other developmental projects.
Another son of the community, Okenze Ezekwe, commended Zain Nigeria for responding to their yearnings by reducing the suffering of the community, especially women and children, who withstand the worst pains of fetching water for the household.
Okenze explained that the community depended on water tankers for their water supply ordinarily; during rainy seasons, they depend on dig pits where mud water collects and is stored for use during the dry season.
“You don’t know what you have done for us. With this borehole, you have reduced the suffering of our children and women. You have reduced the risk of our contracting water borne diseases and cost of buying water from water tanker drivers who increase their price at their whims and caprice. God will bless you,” he stated.
Unarguably, Zain Nigeria is touching lives positively and boldly declaring that there is a wonderful world at the end of the dark tunnel and like Sainte-Marie declared if they have not reached your community yet, probably they are on the way coming.