The water project
Blog archives: Blog archive: Kampala, Uganda, early 2009 to December, 2010
Fist, a little background information… In November 2007 Mark went on a month long volunteer project with Rotary in Ethiopia and Uganda. It was a catalyst for many things (including Design for Good itself) but most importantly it was the start of a new project that would impact the lives of a lot of people in Uganda.
While at an AIDS hospital in Kampala, Mark met some patients with incredible stories. While these patients were receiving their treatments they were taught how to make different crafts as ways to support themselves and their families. These included necklaces hand made out of recycled paper by the women who use the funds to provide food and education for their families Mark was so inspired by them that he decided to help them. So, Mark and Kelly started importing their necklaces fair trade and sold them around the world – from Australia to Lebanon, and used the proceeds to apply for matching grants with Rotary Foundation. With the help of our friends, family and clients, over $25,000 US was raised and with that we decided to use the funds to build water projects in Uganda.
It was decided we would build 10 water tanks for 3 schools in Kibiri, Uganda so they can harvest rain water and provide safe, clean water for over 500 children. Our good friend Joseph Kasozi in Kampala reports “There is no reliable water facility at schools in Kibiri. The nearest is about 3-4Km away. Thus children have to cut part of the afternoon lessons to go and fetch water in very heavy 20lt containers. The well is always congested since it is used by the whole village. This delays the children who have to travel after dark. This is very risky to them especially the girl child where they face threats of rape and consequently dropping out of school.”
And so the building begins...
In July 2009 we completed the water project. Again, Joseph reports: “Last Friday 24th July 2009 we successfully handed over the water project to the community at Kibiri. It was quite a colorful ceremony and the excited students at the St. Chalres Lwanga SSS composed a poem which they recited at the handover it is a beautiful poem. I have attached here for your benefit. You should have seen the smiles on the faces. We had both TV and Newspaper coverage. I shall send you a copy of the recording of the function. It was one of the news items that were telecast on Sunday news on our local WBS television. The article in our local Monitor news paper will be published in the education edition most probably next week. It has been great to have this project with you Mark. We are waiting for the rain which we may have in a few days shall communicate the great news.“
And the poem written by the students…
Oh Rotary friends; thank you dearly!
The walk to fetch water 3kms away ends today.
There is joy and relief to have water so near;
We shall have an everlasting memory of your dear good deeds.
There is no more worry about water for washing, cooking and bathing everyday;
School time shall be put to our lessons every day.
The delighted young girls and boys by this donation,
See an opportunity to grow into responsible citizens of this nation.
Oh Rotary we are grateful for your generosity and care.
This expression is found in the smiles we shall always wear.
We had another update from Joseph in October: “I am glad that we had this project am proud to inform you that we are in the rain season and the tanks are all full. It is my guess that the recipients’ water problem on the face of it is solved as the water is most likely to last them for several months. I wish to once again to be thankful for this opportunity to serve humanity”
In 2010 Kelly and I decided to go to Uganda and reconnect with the necklace ladies and see the completed water projects in person.
Getting to the Heart of it
Blog post archive December 2010
We’re on our way to the school to see the water projects. We finally clear downtown traffic and just on the outskirts of town the scenery quickly changes. We travel down dirt roads with speed bumps so large our Landcrusier all but slows to a crawl just to get over them. A small hand painted sign along the roadside points our way to the school. We climb a steep hill and just past the iron gates resides the school. Nestled at the top of a hill with stunning views are a series of clay brick and tin roofed school buildings. There are hundreds of students from primary and middle school that attend classes here. They walk for long distances to go to school and many of the students are orphans that live at the school full time. The students greet us with big smiles and shy glances. They are expecting us and are excited to show us their school.
The head mistress of the school greets us and tells us of their story. Until last year they only had one drum to collect rainwater to use for all the students and teachers. This was used for everything from cooking, to laundry, washing and lavatories. It barely began to meet their needs so everyday groups of the students had to climb down the hillside about 3 km to the nearest source of water.They filled jerry cans with heavy water and carried them up the hillside to the school. Each trip was long and it took countless trips each day to meet the meager needs of the hundreds of students.
Last year everything changed for them. That was when we sent the funds we raised selling fair trade paper necklaces and Rotary began the construction to supply more water to the school. There is no reliable source of water for them – no ground water and no rivers or springs to supply water. The only way to get water on the hilltop is to harvest it from the rain. In order to do this they need to collect it from the roofs of the school but the tin roofs were rusted and falling apart in places. They started by rebuilding the roofs and installing rain gutters that would feed 5 huge new drums with fresh rainwater. Water used for toilets, laundry and basic washing were used as is and water used for cooking and drinking were treated.
This has changed everything for the school. Students can concentrate on their studies and the water they drink is clean and healthy. We weren’t able to be there when the school had an opening ceremony for the completion of the water projects but they did put together a video for us of the head masters speech and the student’s poems, songs and thanks. To see the finished projects and hear the praise was moving to say the least.