For nearly his whole life, 40-year-old Denis Kiyaga, of Namagoma Village in Uganda, risked his life every time he took a drink of water from unsafe water sources in his community.
But that was before Bread and Water for Africa® stepped up to protect the village’s spring water site from human and livestock contamination, reported Bega kwa Bega (BkB) program manager David Ssagala, our in-country nonprofit partner.
Among the missions of BkB is protecting springs, establishing water committees and training community members on care and maintenance of protected springs, training beneficiaries on safe WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) practices and providing food-grade water containers to villagers.
And in Namagoma Village, along with Denis, residents of 60 households consisting of an estimated 300 individuals “used to suffer so much to get clean water,” says David.
“The water had algae, dogs walked through the water and frogs thrived in this water source,” he told us. “Whenever it rained the water could be full of ‘dirt’ such as polyethene bags and even used diapers.
“The water used to be so dirty that they only used it to wash clothes,” he noted, adding that “they would then search for clean water in other areas – the nearest one an hour’s walk to and from or more, depending on the number of people fetching water.”
Denis commented that it used to take him “hours and hours” fetching water, “and this was not safe, especially for the children.”
He also told us that they previously had to wait for the water to “settle” for intervals of a half hour before collecting it in their containers.
But today, thanks to the supporters of Bread and Water for Africa®, the spring is protected and “clean and safe water is readily available for all” and “they now save the money they used to spend in search of clean water.”
In addition to the hundreds of villagers who are benefiting from the project, hundreds of students at two schools in the area are also benefiting as well.
The protected spring “has greatly improved people’s lives as indeed – water is life,” says Denis. “They are now sure of good health, and they are free from waterborne illnesses.”
The availability of clean water also generates income for residents who are able to sell it at local markets, and area men also utilize the water to make mud bricks for construction.
David added that Denis can now “take care of his family better than before, that is, three children and his wife.”
