The people behind the «Water is Life» project

Initiator

Father Urs Egli was born in 1927 in Buttisholz (canton of Lucerne). He took the vows in 1949, and has been working as a missionary in Cameroon since 1955. He has performed the functions of inspector of primary schools in Otélé, vicar and priest for the peoples of Bassa and Ewondo, development aid volunteer, Superior and Governor of the Benedictine Mission of the Engelberg Monastery in Cameroon. The government of Cameroon has honored him on two occasions with special awards.

Alongside his commitment to providing clean drinking water, Father Urs Egli has worked together with other relief organizations to substantially improve the living conditions of the rural population. He has been the driving force behind numerous construction projects, including schools, clinics, churches and roads. He has helped women in need and established tree nurseries all over the country for the purpose of cultivating low-growing oil palms. In this way he helped prevent fatal accidents during the harvest, slow down the exodus of people from rural areas, and secure an income for several thousand farmers.

Project management

Heidy and Louis Stadelmann-Graf, who come from Walchwil in the canton of Zug, have been responsible for managing the «Water is Life» project in Cameroon since it was initiated in 1989. Louis Stadelmann is in charge of technical aspects, while his wife Heidy takes care of administrative tasks.

Personnel

The «Water is Life» project employs around 50 local staff. Some work in the project’s own workshops where the necessary components of the wells are made, while others work in the repair workshops or in the field, where they inform the local population about the project and show them how to search for water reserves. They also explain how wells are built and maintained.

With approximately 50 employees, the «Water is Life» project is an important regional employer. In the center (from right to left), Alfred and Annaliese Müller-Stocker, and Heidy and Louis Stadelmann-Graf.

Father Urs Egli

Heidy and Louis Stadelmann-Graf