Imagine what life would look like without access to clean water.

Each morning, you face an hours-long journey to the nearest water source under the scorching sun. When you arrive, the well may be dry — or worse, the water may be tainted and unsafe to drink.

For many around the world, accessing clean water is anything but simple. In the small village of Eloumden, on the outskirts of Yaoundé, Cameroon, water scarcity is a daily challenge.

Living By the Seasons: Behind the Water Crisis

Eloumden is a growing community, but its expansion brings mounting challenges. Struggles with limited access to clean drinking water, along with rising poverty, frequent electricity outages, and increasing crime weigh heavily on the people who call Eloumden home. 

This population of about 100 families relies heavily on a five-month rainy season to meet their water needs. But as climate change worsens and droughts last longer, the challenge of accessing clean, safe drinking water continues to grow.

Community members wait in long lines, desperately hoping to bring clean water home to their families.

The harsh dry season, which spans seven months, exacerbates these difficulties. When municipal water becomes scarce, the situation grows dire, and residents must either pay for expensive bottled water or resort to untreated sources. This situation has caused widespread health issues, leading to increased medical costs for already struggling families.

Aside from relying on the seasons, the local municipality supplies water only twice a week. This forces families to collect rainwater from rusted rooftops or, in desperate times, use contaminated water from unsanitary wells. Those who cannot travel long distances to find water often risk contracting diseases like typhoid fever, kidney failure, and other intestinal infections — illnesses that further strain the limited resources of this impoverished community.

Responding to Community Needs

At MercyWorks, we are committed to addressing both the physical and spiritual needs of the communities we serve. In response to the water crisis in Eloumden, Father Pamphile CICM and the pastoral council of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish initiated a project to bring permanent, clean water to the village.

In this plan, the community will construct two boreholes and two water towers, providing year-round access to safe, potable water. This would give roughly 800 people access to clean water year-round — a once-unthinkable reality now coming to life.

Families scrounge for every drop, uncertain when they'll next have access to clean water.

With geophysicists confirming the presence of an underground water supply, this vital project is ready to begin. Not only will this initiative improve health and sanitation, but it will also restore dignity to families who have long battled with water insecurity.

The Path Forward: Partnering for Change

This project is estimated to cost $47,000 USD, presenting a significant financial challenge for this impoverished area. However, the people of Eloumden refuse to sit idle. Despite their limited resources, they are contributing what they can and raising funds to begin construction.

Our missionaries recognized the suffering of their people and responded with love, mercy, and action, just as Christ taught us. Learn more about how MercyWorks serves some of the most marginalized communities by exploring our missions.