In Uganda, water and hygiene related infections kill around a thousand children every day — and Covid-19 has added yet more risk.
Without access to basic washing facilities, families in rural villages are vulnerable to illnesses they simply don’t have the healthcare to treat. That’s why we’ve made access to clean, safe water one of our priorities.
In 2013, Welsh students Maddy and Alasdair visited Tilling Primary School in Ngora, Eastern Uganda, as part of Dolen Ffermio’s schools link exchange project. During their trip, they noticed that the school had a water problem — and they wanted to help solve it.
The school accommodates more than 800 pupils, some of whom walk more than five kilometres in the blazing heat to make classes each day. At the time of the exchange, the children’s only water supply was from a weak borehole, which didn’t provide enough for everyone to drink.
Maddy and Alasdair were so moved by the situation that they began raising funds to help improve the water source. Inspired by their action, Dolen Ffermio raised yet more money to build a large underground storage tank for rainwater harvested from the school’s rooftops.
By spring 2016, the tank was ready and the school was delighted to be able to generate a sustainable supply of safe drinking water. Not only for themselves, but for the whole community.
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