The First Messengers of Peace Well: How Ubachima Found Water 

In 2016, in the Nigerian village of Ubachima, Messengers of Peace International built its first water well. Nine years later, that water is still flowing: a symbol of how science, community and solidarity can transform an entire territory.

A village without water: the origin of the first project

Ubachima lies in one of the most vulnerable areas of the Niger Delta—rich in natural resources, yet deeply affected by decades of oil extraction. In many communities, clean water is not a guaranteed right but a daily struggle.

When Messengers of Peace International (MPI) arrived in Oru East, the situation was clear: surface water sources were heavily polluted, traditional wells were no longer safe, and families walked long distances every day in search of drinkable water.

The very first intervention of this association was born from this need:

"Water is life for all. Without water there is no health, and without health there is no peace."
— Theodore Amanfo, Founder and President of Messengers of Peace International

Providing a well in Ubachima was not a symbolic gesture—it was a structural response to a fundamental human right.

A network of alliances: science, community and solidarity

The construction of the well was made possible through collaboration with the Water Right Foundation and several local associations committed to environmental protection and community support.

MPI does not simply "build wells."
It connects scientific expertise with cultural knowledge, creating solutions that are both technically sound and deeply rooted in local realities.

Beneath Ubachima: understanding the land before drilling

Every well begins with a study.
In Ubachima, drilling started only after essential geological and geophysical investigations were completed.

The analyses revealed that the area belongs to the Benin Formation, a stratified sequence of clay, sand, sandstone and limestone.
This formation began to develop between the Late Cretaceous and the Tertiary era, extending into the Quaternary: relatively young sediments, spanning the Holocene, Pleistocene and Pliocene — the same period that saw the appearance of Homo sapiens around 200,000–300,000 years ago.

Such geological complexity required deep and precise drilling to avoid instability and technical complications.

450 feet underground: finding water

Drilling was difficult.
The team worked without modern equipment, facing technical limitations and challenging terrain — proof that advanced technology would greatly improve the speed and safety of future projects.

Despite the obstacles, local engineers, guided by MPI's geological expertise, reached the aquifer at over 450 feet deep.

From that hidden point in the earth, in a region long affected by contamination, clean and safe water finally reached the surface.

It transformed much more than hydration:
it changed hygiene, food preparation, children's health, daily routines, and even agricultural activities.

Nine years later: a well that still changes lives

Today, nine years after its construction, the Ubachima well is still fully operational, serving hundreds of families every day.

Its legacy is profound:

• improved health,
  

• reduced child labor linked to water collection,
  

• greater stability for families,
  

• strengthened community resilience.
  

The well did not only fill containers.
It restored dignity — and hope.

The first step in a larger vision

The Ubachima well was not a final milestone but the beginning of a larger mission:
to bring safe water to more villages, support vulnerable communities, and build peace by protecting fundamental human rights.

Where water arrives, life begins.
And where life begins, peace can grow.

Support the next wells

With your help, we can bring clean water to other villages that still lack it.
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