We can only play the cards we are dealt with in life…
Drawing poor cards for some is living in a community without access to a clean water source.
For over 100,000 people living in rural, remote villages in Kaberamaido and Kalaki in Uganda – survival dictated collecting water from swamps or contaminated springs. These watering holes doubled as a hydration point for their livestock. Scary but true is the fact that many people have no choice but to drink this swamp water without purification, exposing themselves to the risk of contracting and spreading diseases like cholera, dysentery, typhoid and more.
More often than not, these swamps are quite a distance from homesteads posing a diabolic effect especially for young girls and women who are subjugated to harassment and defilement on their way back home from collecting water.
However, the cries of the community members did not go unheard and the deck of cards has been reshuffled. Through interventions from grassroots NGOs like Surge for Water and their community partner Prince of Peace Orphan and Widows Vision (POPOW) – the situation is these remote Ugandan Districts is changing! Through their direct efforts of providing over 200 improved safe water sources – boreholes, protected springs and rainwater harvesters – entire communities have now been transformed.
These low cost, sustainable solutions have brought water closer to homes and schools – saving time, improving health and creating opportunities especially for women and girls. Today, young girls can go to school and go on to achieve their dreams. Women can spend more time on value added activities – earning livelihoods that can help break the cycle of poverty. Entire communities now have a chance at a better, healthier and more prosperous future!
It is beyond uplifting to be assured of one of life’s most basic needs. With access to clean water, there is undoubtedly a reason to smile, laugh and rejoice – for the young and old alike!
