Water = Life

UVP works with locals in Safe Water initiatives.

This is the beginning of a well project.

This was the prior water source.

Children play a big part of fetching water.
Friend in Ibulanku

We got to dive into the well festivities

At the well I got water from daily
Pumping for water will make you strong!

I think it's safe to say we all know we need water to live. And we all do not have it. Roughly 40% of Ugandans do not have access to clean drinking water. Globally, 1.1 billion people do not have this access, with 1.6 million people dying every year from water-induced diseases.

As I am constantly refilling my water bottles with cool, CLEAN water, I am reminded of the work that requires getting water in Uganda. As I run around this city and see the beautiful lakes and Puget Sound, I'm reminded of the heat and red, dusty dirt roads leading to Ibulanku with an occasional 'water source' (a small pond, often filled with disease-causing bacteria) every now and then off the beaten path. As I'm running around Greenlake, stopping every couple miles to grab some fresh water, I'm reminded of the women carrying large yellow jerrycans full of water that I would pass on my runs through the village. These women and children would walk miles to wells or other water-sources to gather water for drinking, cooking, and cleaning. AND they would balance it on their heads! Check this link out for more facts:

http://waterfortheages.org/2009/12/02/10-facts-on-women-and-water/

While some children may have had the opportunity to go to school, many are required to fetch the water instead, which can be an all day chore. And this water that is retrieved is often times not clean, thus causing many diseases. Life-taking, water-borne diseases.

Uganda Village Project is actively involved in empowering members of communities with the resources and skills required to build and maintain wells for clean water accessibility. This video from Uganda portrays the power of safe drinking water.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMwEWzzSKWE

Almost every day in the village, I went to the boar-hole to get water for drinking and cleansing. After fetching the water, I used a UV light and a tablet to clean it and rid of bacteria. Villagers do not have that resource, so UVP is also playing a role in making the well water clean and safe to drink. I have experienced a water-born illness first hand, as I got dystentary after ONE run-in with unclean water. I can say honestly that without the resources to be able to get to a hospital after just 12 hours with the sickness, I could have been one of those numbers lost to the results of water-born illness.

I write this so that you can join me in awareness of this global problem and join me in the efforts to rid of it. Please know that if you do donate to UVP through Racing for Relief, your funds will be going to projects, such as our Safe Water project, which will make BIG differences in the lives of many.