NDONGO LC1 VILLAGE, UGANDA

FUNDED AUGUST 2, 2023

Ndongo LC1 Village is part of the Karuko Parish in the Kakumiro District, in Nalweyo Subcounty, Uganda.  “LC1” designates Local Council 1, to distinguish this village from others with the same name.  Ndongo contains 232 households, so roughly 1,160 villagers.

The current water sources for this village are open swamps and ponds. There are no clean water sources.  They must share these sources with both domestic and wild animals.  The water is full of frogs, snakes, and water-born illnesses like typhoid and diarrhea. The water sources are also used by two schools, four churches, and a local trading center, so many more than the 1,160 villagers are being exposed to bad water on any given day.

Typhoid is all too common in the village, unfortunately.  You would be hard-pressed to find a villager who hasn’t had typhoid in the past few months. Most families will report that every member of the family has had it at least once in the last 6 months.  Some report having sick family members every month.  It costs a day’s wage for a day’s dose of medicine for typhoid. Many families are using money needed for seeds, or food, to pay for medicine.  Add to that the fact that in dry season the water here diminishes to a trickle.  Many families have to pay to have bottled water delivered by Bota Bota (motorcycle) driver. All of this adds up to a cycle of poverty they cannot break out of. Add to that the fact that the time spent carrying water means that women can’t get basic chores done, which often results in domestic violence. And the girls who are in charge of carrying water will likely miss school. This leads to a  culture of despair for women and children all for the lack of clean water.

CEED’S EXPERIENCE

CEED has been drilling clean water wells in Uganda for over a decade. We have two small drilling rigs and one ‘Big Rig’ that can punch through layers of rock that the smaller rigs cannot. The CEED-Uganda Manager is Herbert Asiimwe. He has been with CEED for almost as long as we have been drilling. He is well known in the area for his expertise. And our drilling teams have an average of over 10 years of experience on drilling rigs.  

CEED Uganda is also a non-profit, all funds go to paying our teams as well as the necessary drilling supplies from concrete, drill steel, hand pumps, etc.

WELL MAINTENANCE & REPAIRS

It is important that the villagers take full ownership of the wells we drill.  If they do not, then wells can fall into disrepair, not for the lack of funds, but because no on in the village will take responsibility to inform us that something is wrong.  To solve this issue CEED requires a Water Committee in each village.  The villagers each contribute a small amount of money to the village water fund.  That fund is then used for any future repairs.  We’ve never turned a village down for a repair if they didn’t have the actual repair cost.  But the very act of
gathering the funds and ‘buying in’ causes the villagers to take ownership of their well and to care for it.  The well space stays weeded and clean;  the pump is treated with care, and the village has water for years to come.

CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP

When we drill our wells we bring a solar projector and the ‘Jesus’ film that has been dubbed in the native language of the area. Dozens of villages come to see the film. And since CEED is in the act of providing for their physical needs, this film has a great impact. After all if the Lord sent money from the United States for a clean water well, then He must truly love the people of the village. I have seen churches grow around well sites as villagers gain a practical understanding of how much the Lord cares about them.

This well will be located central to 4 churches and 2 schools. These congregations will grow as the word of clean water spreads. Everyone wants to go to the churches where clean water has been found. So this well will be an outreach far into the future.

PROJECT COSTS AND TIMELINE

Total Project Cost: $5,000

Cost break out:

• Materials:         $3,900
• Labor:                   $650
• Administrative:  $450

Future maintenance:  The villagers collect a penny or two a month from each household to keep for maintenance. This system ensures that the well is fully adopted by the village and cared for.

Other Costs:  If we hit rock, the well will need to be drilled by the big rig. That may cost more, but we will likely match funding from another source.

Funding Requested from ILW:  $5000

Date Funding Required:  As soon as possible

Estimated Project Start Date:  Within 2-3 weeks of funding date

Estimated Project Completion Date: Within 2-3 months of funding date

YOUR IMPACT

When a clean water well is given to a village, the instances of illness drop by 70% within the first month.  And it stays at the new level into the future.  Children stay healthy and are going to school, and parents are able to save money for better crops, tools, food, and even tuition at better schools.

Domestic violence drops because part of the contract for a well stipulates that men not beat their wives.  Women and girls don’t have to leave the safety of their village to gather water.  Innocence is protected.