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Motorized borehole increases water access in Uganda village

Villagers have better health, hygiene and safety since WaterAid installed a new water source with Church support

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.

Five officials with WaterAid and the Church help cut a ribbon on a new water system in Lugwara Quarters, Mayuge District, Uganda.
Jinja Uganda Stake President Charles Palaasi, left, Rukia Nakadama, Uganda's third deputy prime minister, center, and WaterAid Uganda country director Ernest Gbekor, second from right, help cut the ribbon on a new water system in Lugwara Quarters, Mayuge District, Uganda, on May 14, 2024. | WaterAid

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.”

Representatives from the Church, WaterAid, and village, district and Uganda government pose for a picture by a sign on a new water system in Lugwara Quarters, Mayuge District, Uganda.
Representatives from the Church, WaterAid, and village, district and Uganda government pose for a picture by a sign on a new water system in Lugwara Quarters, Mayuge District, Uganda, on May 14, 2024. | WaterAid

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.

A blue pump house surrounded by a fence is part of a new water system in Lugwara Quarters, Mayuge District, Uganda.
A pump house is part of a new water system pictured on May 14, 2024, in Lugwara Quarters, Mayuge District, Uganda. | WaterAid
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