Bambui is situated in the Tubah Sub-Division in the North West Region of Cameroon. It is the first place where the Capuchin friars have settled and initiated the first OFS presence in Cameroon. Today, it is home to the constituted OFS Bambui St. Claire fraternity, which is the main applicant for this “Well4Africa” water project.
Due to the war in the English-speaking region of the country, many young students have left for the French-speaking region to seek refuge and go to school there. This fact has drastically affected the population of Bambui village and caused a serious water shortage in the area, especially for poor children who cannot afford renting in hostels that have their own wells. The neighbouring village called Bambili has many secondary and higher education institutions (State University, Higher Teacher Training College, School for Agronomy, etc.) and the student population in the area exceeds one million.
The Capuchin friars decided to construct a Foyer for the poor children on their own land in Bambui. The new house features 4 spacious dormitories and 46 rooms, providing accommodation for 100–150 underprivileged children who will have the opportunity to attend school. The building is close to completion, but the main problem is water. With the present water shortage, the village source cannot be connected to the new buildings. The Foyer is close to the Capuchin friary, but the well of the friars has very limited water supply in the dry season and is not clean enough. Wells typically do not provide water of the same quality as boreholes.
Bambui water project consists of drilling a borehole, building a water tank, installing two big tanks and a solar pump, and building two tap stands for schoolchildren to drink. The water tap is planned to be installed next to the Foyer at the main road, providing access to thousands of children on their way to schools and universities. Surveys have been conducted, indicating the feasibility of drilling a borehole to ensure a consistent water supply throughout the year.
The water source will be directly managed by the OFS local fraternity together with the Bambui village water administration. The parents of the children will be requested to make a small contribution towards the project’s maintenance, such as repairing taps or the solar system, during the annual parents and teachers meeting.
The water project is under the responsibility of the OFS Bambui St. Claire fraternity, the National Council of the Secular Franciscan Order in Cameroon and the Capuchin Friars Minor Custody of St. Francis of Assisi in Cameroon.
Only your support enables “Well4Africa” social initiative to implement water projects like this one in Bambui. For possible ways of donation, please refer to https://well4africa.eu/index.php/donate. May the Lord bless you for your generosity!
