By Very Rev. Kolade Fadahunsi, Ecumenical Water Network Africa and coordinator for the Blue Community Chapter Africa.
As the Africa Blue Community celebrates its first anniversary in May 2025—with a growing presence across Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Mali, and Tanzania—my recent two-week tour of Switzerland provided a significant opportunity to deepen the movement’s international partnerships and purpose.
Strengthening Blue Community Alliances
The journey began with impactful engagements in Bern, where the first Blue Communities outside of Canada were founded. I met with the Reformed Church of Bern-Jura-Solothurn and attended a meeting of Swiss Blue Community NGO. Our discussions explored avenues for stronger international collaboration between European and African Blue Communities—especially through shared advocacy, education, and faith-based community actions.
In Biel/Bienne, I visited the vibrant Reformed Church Blue Community, which is already engaged with a Presbyterian girls’ school in Cameroon—a living testament to transnational solidarity in action.
Lecture at Eawag & Visit to ZKSD
A key highlight of my visit was the invitation to speak at Eawag, the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, one of the more than 50 Blue Communities in this little country. My lecture focused on “The Role of Faith-Based Organizations in WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene)”, emphasizing how religious institutions can mobilize resources, shape attitudes, and ensure water justice as a moral imperative.
I also visited ZKSD (Zurich Knowledge Center for Sustainable Development), a center established and supported by the main universities and high schools of Zurich, where further conversations were held on integrating ecological sustainability into the core of spiritual practice.
These engagements not only affirmed the critical role of faith and ethics in addressing water and sanitation issues, but also provided a platform to position the Africa Blue Community within the global dialogue.
Water–Food–Faith Nexus
Beyond lectures and meetings, I had the privilege of visiting community garden and agroecology projects in Arbon, Zurich, and Gabris, which offered profound insights into the relationship between water, food systems, and ecological spirituality. These learnings inspire fresh pathways for integrating sustainable agriculture and climate resilience into Africa’s Blue Community action plans.
Gratitude
I remain deeply thankful to:
- Sarah, of the Reformed Church of Bern, for providing seamless transportation and coordination throughout Switzerland.
- Karl, for his warm hospitality in Gabris.
- Roland, for his invaluable companionship during visits to Bern and Zurich, especially at the Eawag institute.
A Renewed Mandate for Africa
This journey has inspired a renewed commitment to organize Africa’s Blue Communities under a unified banner of action, advocacy, and accountability. The vision is clear: to Turn Africa Blue—not just symbolically, but structurally and spiritually—through collaboration, education, and community empowerment.
