Why Uganda?

Why We Focus on Water Accessibility in Uganda

Question: Of all the need in the world, how did Acts for Water end up working in Uganda?

It was actually Bishop Amos Betungura’s 1975 visit to Vancouver that led our founder, Jim Wardroper, to connect with the country of Uganda.

Bishop Amos needed bikes for his community and so funds for 75 pedal bikes were raised. Simple beginnings, powerful implications.

It would only be a few years later that Jim began to see how bad the water crisis in Uganda was. Surveying for Acts for Waters first Gravity Flow System began and we started to see the transformative power of clean, safe water systems.

It has been this intersection of need & opportunity that has kept Acts for Water in Uganda for over 40 + years.

A breathtaking landscape in Uganda

How we identified the need:

  • 1 in 4 people in Uganda don’t have access to clean, safe drinking water.

  • It is a country with one of the lowest life expectancies in the world.

  • Rural Uganda, in particular, is often overlooked. This means that infrastructure like roads, schools, health clinics and most importantly the delivery of clean water isn’t a priority.

  • The hilly terrain of Southern Uganda makes walks to dirty water sources even more labour intensive.

A group of individuals from Uganda

How we identified the opportunity:

  • Partnership: There’s an active network of NGOs, Churches and district level government support which enables Acts for Water to join with others and leverage our unique strengths to accomplish our mission.

  • The Terrain: The hills allow the Gravity Flow System to be an excellent solution to providing a sustainable clean water source.

  • The People: Not only does Uganda have a strong workforce, they also have a strong volunteer force. The people are optimistic about their future and desire to improve their communities.

The combination of need and opportunity originally made Uganda an ideal place for us to serve. And now the benefits of momentum, reputation and specialization keep us there. At our water charity, we are fortunate to have a strong, capable team in Uganda with a single focus; To deliver safe, clean drinking water to the people who need it most.

Because of this, your dollar goes further and has a greater impact.

That is why our new strategy plan centers around investing in our old projects with new technology to ensure that they last for future generations to come.

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