2025 Henri Boulard Award Winner J. Osogom Clifford-Nkemdilim

Diet is one of the main drivers that shape the microbial community in the gut. (Wu et al. 2011).and water is a key nutrient in our diet. Water intake and its source can directly or indirectly influence the gut microbiome composition and diversity. In 2022 , it was estimated that over 2.2 billion people worldwide lacked access to safe drinking water.

In 2024, 4.4 billion people were estimated worldwide to lack access to safe drinking water which means that this is a rising global health burden (UNICEF UK). In Nigeria,about 33% of the population equivalent to 55-60million people lack access to basic drinking water services per world bank and water aid data circa 2016. 29% of this population are children lacking daily access to water. Unclean water which contains harmful microorganisms such as salmonella (bacteria), rotavirus (virus), Giardia (Protozoa) etc. can disrupt the gut microbiota especially in children, pregnant women by invading the gut, cause infections and displaces beneficial microbes like lactobacillus.

Then families are put at risk of infectious diseases and a need to treat the diseases such as diarrhea, helicobacter pylori, typhoid fever using antibiotics for even as long as 14days. This leads to increased risk of dysbiosis and antibiotic- resistant organisms in the gut. There is also impaired development of the gut microbiome in children leading to stunted growth, malabsorption and a weakened immune system. The need for clean and safe drinking water cannot be overlooked especially in rural communities.

This Project seeks to implement the use and distribution of ceramic pot water filters which is a proven and cost effective method of water purification with 99% efficacy to 20 schools and five communities in Agbor delta state . This will provide access to clean and safe water to over 35000 persons.