Anwulika Mordi grew up in Nigeria’s Niger Delta—a region rich in biodiversity, yet deeply affected by environmental degradation and resource scarcity.

“As a child, water scarcity shaped my family’s daily life,” she says. “My mother travelled more than five kilometres just to fetch clean water. Time, energy and money were drained by a problem that should never have existed.”

Years later, Anwulika learned that this challenge still affects hundreds of thousands of women across Nigeria. That lived experience—alongside witnessing deforestation and unsustainable farming—sparked her lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship, food security and community-led solutions.

“I don’t just want to advocate,” she says. “I want to act.”

That philosophy has guided a journey across continents. In 2020, Anwulika received a scholarship to complete her undergraduate studies in Rwanda. After graduating, she returned to Nigeria and launched a small-scale tomato farm—experimenting with low-cost, environmentally responsible practices.

With limited resources, she designed a hydroponic system using locally available materials and no electricity—demonstrating that sustainable innovation doesn’t require expensive infrastructure.

“I started with about $100,” she says. “The goal was simple: get the same results using what we already have.”

Her work became a powerful example for women in her community—many of whom lack access to land or decision-making power in agriculture and forestry.

“If I can do it,” she says, “others can too.”

That commitment to action and stewardship led Anwulika to UBC’s Master of International Forestry (MIF) program, where she saw her values reflected in the curriculum.

“The program is about people, forests and responsibility,” she says. “It aligned perfectly with my mission.”

Shortly after arriving at UBC, Anwulika volunteered with the Residence Move crew, helping welcome thousands of new students and families—an early expression of her belief in service-driven leadership.

Her passion for practical solutions deepened through the Scholars Entrepreneurship Fund Impactathon, where she transformed her childhood experience of water scarcity into H₂O Filtro Dynamics—a project that uses natural, locally sourced materials such as clay, sawdust and coconut husk to produce affordable ceramic water filters.

The initiative goes beyond clean water. It trains and employs local women, turning beneficiaries into community leaders.

“This matters to me because I lived this problem,” she says. “Clean water should not depend on distance, income or gender.”

Anwulika’s ability to study at UBC—and scale her impact—was made possible through the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

“When I received the call, I screamed,” she says. “It was an opportunity to return home with knowledge, credibility and a voice.”

Today, Anwulika is focused on advancing solutions that support food security, clean water access and forest conservation—work that reflects UBC’s commitment to creating solutions for the planet and shaping more resilient, thriving societies.

“To the donors who made this possible,” she says, “thank you. I will always honour the well that gave me water to drink.”