Clean and Safe Water

In Uganda, access to clean and safe water is a huge challenge. Out of its population of 45 million people, 38 million people (83% of the population) lack access to a reliable, safely managed source of water, and 7 million people (17%) lack access to improved sanitation solutions, due in part to the high population growth that stresses the water and sanitation services that exist.

Urban people living in poverty pay as much as 22 percent of their income to access water from water vendors. Therefore, spending such a high percentage of earnings on water reduces overall household income, limiting opportunities to build savings and break the cycle of poverty.

This is even worse among rural communities. For example, in Paya Sub County, some communities spend over 10 hours just to get a 20-liter jerrican of water. Overall, many families living in rural areas spend more than 40 minutes walking to collect the water their families need, taking time away from work and school.

However, there is positive momentum as the government of Uganda aims to have safe water and improved sanitation for everyone by 2030, and Development Alert is well-positioned to help.

For most rural schools and communities, access to clean water depends on NGOs (nonprofit organizations) purchasing or “giving” a well. However, there are millions of schools and communities that do not have access to nonprofit agencies or local government support.

Facts

1 billion people globally do not have access to clean, safe drinking water.

4 million people die each year from scarce and contaminated water sources.

Millions of women and children spend 3-6 hours each day collecting water from distant and polluted sources.

The time it takes to walk the average 3.7 miles for clean water is time not spent generating income, caring for family members, or attending school.

At any given time, half of the world’s hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from diseases associated with lack of access to clean water.

Effects on Women and Children

Over 80% of water-deprived households depend on women to collect water. The time it takes to walk the average of 3.7 miles for water is time not spent generating income, caring for family, or attending school. Those who are subjected to collecting water are more likely to:

Endure multiple bouts of malaria.

Drop out of school.

Be beaten, injured, and/or raped.

Suffer animal bites and dangerous infections.

Women are not the only ones who suffer. Each day, nearly 6,000 children die of water-related diseases children die of water-related diseases. It is time to end the water crisis. Development Alert focuses on initiatives to end the water crisis in Tororo, Uganda. These include:

Supply of water storage facilities to communities like schools, markets, and churches.

Drilling community boreholes to provide easy access to clean and safe water.

Supply of purification and sanitation facilities.

Protection of community water sources like springs and wells.

Sensitization and awareness-raising on sanitation and hygiene.

Get Involved:

Fundraise for a community water well.

Support a community with a water storage and sanitation facility.

Sponsor a community water project.

Each contribution helps save or improve someone’s life.

Join our growing family of Donors who turn their compassion into hope for those in need.

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