In Uganda, nearly one-third of the population of more than 48 million (16 million individuals) lack access to clean water. In addition, around one-third of children live in households that are described as moderately water-deprived, with 20 percent being “severely deprived,” according to our WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) clean water partner in the country, David Ssagala, program manager of Bega kwa Bega (BkB), which means “Shoulder to Shoulder” in Kiswahili.
But thanks to the supporters of Bread and Water for Africa®, through our partnership with BkB since 2020 to provide clean water for tens of thousands through our spring water protection program in the country.
In many rural Ugandan villages, people, and animals – both wildlife and livestock — share the same spring-fed drinking water because the source is open to the elements and unprotected from contamination.
The issue is particularly severe in the central and western region of the country where BkB works, there are more than 200 villages where countless thousands of residents’ risk illness, even death, drinking from these unprotected springs, contaminated with fecal matter, disease, bacteria, and parasites.
In 2020, in the midst of the global Covid-19 pandemic which was making inroads into sub-Saharan African countries including Uganda, Bread and Water for Africa® sponsored 12 sites ensuring safe, clean water for an estimated 3,750 Ugandans.
In the years to follow, the partnership has resulted in dozens of spring protection projects – the construction of concrete barriers around the spring sites are necessary to prevent animal and human contamination to protect the health of the residents of the villages.
Our goal for 2025 is to complete 15 more projects, providing clean water for 750 households amounting to approximately 3,750 individuals at a cost of $1,198 per project which includes the construction of the concrete barriers, marble installation and the cost of providing new hygienic water containers “to complete a safe water chain,” says David.
As he explains, the 15 targeted spring sites “are dangerous and contaminated as they are shared with animals” and “personal hygiene, food and sanitation in these communities are affected due to water shortages, scarcity and a lack of safe water storage containers.”
Among the projects completed this year was for residents of Kagezi Village with 80 households (estimated 400 individuals), along with a primary school with 376 students and a church.
“Before construction, it was an open water source shared by both humans and cows,” reported BkB WASH program manager Mary Musubika. “The water was contaminated with algae and was not safe for human consumption.
“To access the contaminated water, one had to step into the unprotected spring which posed an additional risk of snake bites,” she added.
Mary also noted that since it required close to two hours to get water from the nearest clean water site, “schoolchildren and the rest of the community used this unsafe well because it was more accessible.”
But once the spring protection is completed that doesn’t mean our job is finished.
The community members who actively participated in the construction of the spring protection site also took part in an education session where they learned about its proper use, maintenance and WASH measures to prevent illness, before electing a water committee, which includes children’s representatives, and receiving brand-new food grade water containers.
“The beneficiaries are so grateful that they now have free access to a clean, safe and reliable water source in addition to the new jerrycans to store the clean and safe water,” says Mary.
Now, with the new year soon upon us, our mission is to provide the same clean water to thousands more in the next 12 months.
