Provide Orphans in Uganda with Clean Drinking Water

I want to take a moment to thank you for your continued kindness. Without a doubt, your generosity, and that of other benefactors, has enabled our Missionaries to continue their work among men, women and children in some of Africa’s most remote and poorest communities. Thanks to you — even in the midst of a worldwide pandemic (that is hopefully passing) — we have the resources to provide ongoing pastoral, educational, medical and humanitarian care to those who are suffering. What a blessing you are!

As I write to you, the summer heat is at its peak for many of us here in the U.S. and some areas are also experiencing severe drought. But for some of our missions in Africa, water scarcity is an ongoing problem. They have struggled with it for generations and they are desperate to find a workable solution. A few weeks ago, I received a letter from Sr. Annet Nakato — a Missionary working in Bukulula, a village in the Buganda Region of Uganda in East Africa. There, she works as the director of the Holy Family School for Orphans.

“Our school was founded to provide education for children who have been orphaned due to the HIV/AIDS epidemic as well as other poor children who might not otherwise be able to attend school,” Sr. Annet writes. “But the problem that we have been struggling with for so very long is finding a reliable source of clean water.”

“The children here walk for miles searching for clean water, but the sources are usually contaminated with bacteria — causing cholera and other diseases. These illnesses have taken a huge toll on our school children as well. Recently, the school leadership and local residents decided to raise as much money as they could to construct a water harvesting system. This harvesting system would collect the rainwater that runs off the roof during the rainy seasons. The water would then drain into four large plastic tanks — each able to store about 10,000 liters of water. This would provide enough water for our children . . . getting us through until the next rainy season.”

“The adults here are willing to provide the manual labor that the project will require — such as digging foundations for cement blocks to be laid to support the tanks. The people will also do all of the masonry work as well as attach the gutters and downspouts and install valves and faucets. We have six school buildings for nearly 700 children, so the amount of work that needs to be done is quite extensive.”

“We have been successful in raising a little money from the poor people here, but we still need help to have enough money to purchase all of the materials — the cement blocks, gutters, pipes, etc. I am hoping you can help us!”

You and I both know that water is a basic human need. That is why I encourage you to do all that you can to conserve this precious resource! Some of the things that can help save water are taking showers instead of baths and only running dishwashers or washing machines when there is a full load. Using a car wash instead of a garden hose to wash your car can also save water, since some car wash facilities recycle their water.

I also hope that you will send a donation to help the children in Sr. Annet’s mission in Bukulula get the water they need! While we want to raise at least $35,000 to support this and other water projects throughout East Africa, please know that any amount you can send will be used to provide assistance to those in need. God bless you for your kindness and generosity.

 

Your Missionary Friend,

Denis P. Pringle
Director of Development