People living in rural Uganda in Central Africa now have a cleaner, safer water source through a new motorized borehole system in their district.
Boreholes are deep holes drilled in the earth to access water. A solar-powered generator uses electricity to pump the water from the ground, thus allowing a more reliable and sustainable way for people to get clean water.
Support from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints allowed WaterAid — a nonprofit organization focusing on water, sanitation and hygiene projects — to finish the project in the village of Lugwara Quarters in Mayuge District.

Village chairperson Etole Gaspero said they used to have to get water from swamp areas far away, which not only put them at risk for waterborne diseases but also created safety concerns for the women and children who had to walk a long way.
“Now, with this new system, cases of violence have reduced as wives can access water nearby,” Gaspero said.
Ernest Gbekor, the acting country director of WaterAid Uganda, said the borehole has four tap stands of six outlets each. This means more than 2,500 people now have access to water — and the borehole should last a long time.
“Sustainability is key for WaterAid to save generations and ensure long-lasting impact,” Gbekor said. “We work with the Ministry of Water and other partners to maintain these facilities, so the community will continue to benefit from this significant investment.”

A hygiene behavior-change campaign has also encouraged residents to improve their hygiene and sanitation practices, and build pit latrines, bathrooms and handwashing facilities.
Rukia Nakadama, Uganda’s third deputy prime minister, attended the opening ceremony on May 14 and thanked WaterAid, Mayuge district officials and village leaders for working together to see the project become a success. She also expressed gratitude for the Church for considering the dire need of water and poor hygiene and sanitation standards in the community.
Jinja Uganda Stake President Charles Palaasi shared how the Church is grateful to work with WaterAid and the community on such efforts. He encouraged the village leaders to ensure the sustainability of the project.
Safe water is a priority for the Church, through partnerships with nonprofit organizations and missionary humanitarian work taking place around the world.
Previous projects from the Church and WaterAid include a new solar-powered water supply for three other villages in Uganda, new boreholes in Nigeria, water taps and bathrooms in Papua New Guinea and Liberia and rebuilt facilities after storms in Malawi and Mozambique. In Colombia, drinking water arrived in La Guajira and sacred art helped the Wayuu people improve hygiene practices. Ten new wells helped the country of Eswatini in southern Africa face its urgent water issues.
