World Water Day 2022
MARCH 22, 2022
YOUR GIFT OF CLEAN WATER
Today is World Water Day. On this day, we celebrate a necessity that is easily taken for granted-clean drinking water. Today is also a day to celebrate you, our donor, and to let you know how your generous contributions are helping to provide people living in Gulu, Uganda with access to safe water.
Akwero Christine was brought to St. Jude Children's Home after her parents died of HIV/AIDS. Christine developed paraplegia and was confined to a wheelchair at a young age. Despite these adversities, Christine attended St.Jude Primary School. She received rehabilitation services through Consolation Home and is now living independently in the community.
In 2003, Latigo David was captured by the Lord's Resistance Army and forced to be a child soldier. During a battle, David was shot in the spine and paralyzed. His parents were alive but unable to finance his medication or education. Latigo David was brought to Consolation Home at St. Jude to live. David excelled in his studies at the primary school and attended Negri College. David is now living in the community with his wife and new baby.
Latigo David and Akwero Christine
Akwero Christine and Latigo David need a source of clean water. The nearest water source to their homes is more than a mile away. This creates an extra burden for them because they use wheelchairs.
Both Christine and David harvest rainwater using a plastic tank during the rainy season. Unfortunately, this water is not very safe for drinking, and there is very little water during the dry season. Having no safe water access forces them to use unsafe sources such as streams to get their water - which has to be boiled to make it safe. Firewood must be collected and burned to boil the water, producing CO2 emissions. Boiling water does not always guarantee that it is safe to drink, so waterborne diseases can afflict them.
Your generosity has made it possible to drill boreholes in the homes of both Christine and David.
Water borehole drilling involves drilling a hole into the ground to access the water beneath and adding a pumping system to collect the natural water and bring it to the surface.
This is an effective way of providing a high-quality water source direct from the ground below, allowing the user to access clean water whenever they require it.
For Christine and David, this means not having to harvest rainwater in the rainy season and reduced exposure to waterborne disease. They will also save many hours every day that would have been spent collecting water from a faraway source, thereby allowing for time to be invested in other more productive activities.
Thank you for giving the life-saving gift of clean water.
