Hundreds of thousands of villages in Uganda have no wells from which the villagers can get clean water for drinking and household use. Women and children must carry water from distant springs, creeks or wells. It is hard labor that takes hours every day and denies many children the chance to go to school. And the water is often polluted, causing diarrhea and other illnesses.
Waterborne diseases are a leading cause of illness, contributing to 60% of hospital visits in rural areas. Increased access to clean water can boost school attendance by 75%, allowing children to focus on their education instead of water collection.
Six AWE women farmers have been trained by the American non-profit organization called One Million Wells on how to dig wells manually, without using drills powered by engines or electricity. Using this method, the cost of digging a well is about $2,500. One of the trained women, Asha, shared her experience: “I never knew that I, as a woman, could receive this kind of training! I am grateful for the support, and I will go back to the village to encourage other women that some things we just fear for nothing; we can together change our society.”
Please consider donating to the AWE well-digging fund to dig wells for villages in Omoro District near Gulu in Northern Uganda. You can donate via this website. Your funds will go directly to AWE. If your donation is as much as $1000, your name will be inscribed on a plaque at the well site saying you have donated to dig the well. You will eventually receive a photo of that plaque.