Angwan Madaki

The Angwan Madaki people are saying thank you for the rehabilitation of our 1 and only community borehole. We don’t have to go for hours to the river for water. God bless you as we also will like more if God gives you the grace and power. Thank you For Community Youth Leader

Angwan Madaki is a community in Nigeria's Nasarawa State where "masquerades" or masked dancers are employed to settle water-related disputes. This strange cultural practice started in response to physical fights that were breaking out among women trying to access the community's water source -- a dirty pond. Some people believe the dancers have the power to curse or bless. In Angwan Madaki, they were granted the power to banish women from fetching water from the pond for weeks or months as punishment for fighting. Lifewater visited the community and saw the depth of strife and human suffering that was occurring due to water scarcity. Thanks to our donors, we drilled a well that is meeting the community's drinking and sanitation needs without the shortages that used to cause conflict.