After years of serious hardship marked by long walks, steep descents, and daily struggle for survival, the communities of Ntaghang and Upper Atu-Azire witnessed a historic transformation with the official handover of a modern community water system constructed by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The ceremony on Friday, January 16, 2026, attended by community leaders, youths, women, and ICRC officials, marked the end of decades of water scarcity and the beginning of a new era of improved health, dignity, and social harmony for thousands of residents.
A Dream Realized
For Awah Emmanuel Penn, President of the Ntaghang and Upper Atu-Azire Water Management Committee, the moment was deeply emotional. “What we are witnessing today is something we never imagined would happen in our lifetime,” he said. “As children, we struggled every day to fetch water from faraway catchments. Children queued for hours, fought over water, and returned home injured. Today, water is flowing right to our doorsteps, and its quality is far better than anything we had before.”
He noted that the availability of safe and easily accessible water has already begun to reduce tension at water points and improve hygiene within households. According to him, better health outcomes are among the most immediate benefits, as residents will no longer be exposed to unsafe water sources.
ICRC and a Cross Section of Ntaghang Quarter residents at One of the Stand Taps.
Phased Distribution for Long-Term Sustainability
The water scheme currently operates with 11 public stand taps, which are being used during a testing phase to closely monitor pressure, flow rate, and overall system performance. Expansion, Awah Emmanuel explained, will be gradual and guided by technical assessments.
“We are starting cautiously,” he said. “Once we are certain the system can sustain more demand, we will extend water to nearby communities and eventually allow household connections. Current tests show a strong flow rate of about 20 litres in 30 seconds, which gives us confidence in the project’s sustainability.”
Built Together, Owned by the Community
Representing the ICRC, Ralf Ketelaars, Head of the Bamenda Sub-Delegation, described the project as one of deep human significance, shaped by perseverance and partnership. “This project began several years ago with our late colleague, Diomede (In memory of ICRC Water and Habitat Delegate, humanitarian hero), who worked closely with this community after conflict disrupted their water supply,” Ketelaars said. “Continuing after his tragic death required courage and careful planning, but the determination of the community encouraged us to move forward.”
He stressed that the water scheme is a shared achievement. “This is not an ICRC project alone. It is a community project. Both Ntaghang and Upper Atu-Azire came together, set aside differences, and jointly designed a system that works for everyone. In total, about 5,080 households are benefiting directly.”
Smart Engineering, Safe Drinking Water
Technical details of the project were presented by Valentine Nkofo, Project Engineer for the ICRC Bamenda Sub-Delegation, who described the system as a hybrid model combining gravity-fed supply with solar-powered pumping. “The Upper Atu-Azire section is supplied entirely by gravity,” Nkofo explained. “Ntaghang and parts of Upper Atu-Azire receive water through a 5.5-kilowatt solar pump powered by a 9.2-kilowatt solar array.”
According to him, water is stored in two reinforced concrete reservoirs, one with a capacity of 150 cubic metres and another of 65 cubic metres, before being distributed through a pipeline network covering approximately three kilometres.
On water safety, Nkofo reassured the population that laboratory tests carried out by the Ministry of Water Resources and Energy, approved facility confirmed the water is safe for consumption.
Yufenyuy George, Resident of Ntaghang Quarter.Youths Feel the Change
The impact of the project is already being felt across social life in the community. Yufenyuy George, leader of the Wirkiyferr Nso youth group in Ntaghang, said access to water has eased many daily challenges. “We used to struggle even to get water for our weekly meetings,” he said. “Now we have enough water to clean, cook, and meet comfortably. Children can go to school early instead of spending mornings fetching water. This project has changed our lives.”
Gratitude, Remembrance, and a Call for Support
The ceremony also paid tribute to Madam Pascaline and Mr. Joemetre, both of blessed memory, whose contributions to the realization of the project were acknowledged with a minute of silence. While expressing deep gratitude to the ICRC for what they described as a “life-giving intervention,” community leaders pledged to protect and manage the infrastructure responsibly.
They also appealed for the provision of solar batteries to ensure an uninterrupted water supply during cloudy and rainy seasons and to improve security through solar lighting.
A Legacy for the Future
As cheers echoed across Upper Ntaghang, one message stood out clearly: the water scheme represents more than infrastructure, it is a legacy of hope and resilience. “This day will forever remain in our history,” Awah Emmanuel Penn concluded. “Generations yet unborn will remember that when we needed help the most, the ICRC stood with us and gave us not just water, but a future.”
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