KAHIKE VILLAGE, UGANDA

FUNDED SEPTEMBER 13, 2023

One of the Ponds for Gathering Water

Kahike Cell, Masaka Ward in the Kakumiro district, under the Nalweyo Town Council is home to 160 families, about 900 people. The proposed bore hole well and hand pump will be able to serve up to 1,500 people per day, encouraging village growth.

The closest water source to Kahike is a series of open ponds and swamps filled with dirty water. The water is used by wild and domestic animals, like pigs and monkeys, and it carries typhoid, diarrhea, and skin diseases. The women and children are the ones who suffer from these illnesses the most. The skin rashes are from gathering the water in these places. The typhoid and diarrhea are from drinking contaminated water.

The ponds are also breeding grounds for frogs and snakes and draw in wild animals as well, which increases the danger of fetching water. This is particularly true for anyone having to gather water. The wild animals and even the farm animals can pose a danger to anyone trying to gather water.

Financially, the cost of bad water for this village is high. Medicine for Typhoid is very expensive and can cost as much as an average farmer makes in a day. The illnesses keep the poverty cycle going. Money that would go to seed for crops, to food, tuition, or building
supplies, will all be used on medicine.

CEED’S EXPERIENCE

CEED has been drilling in Uganda for nearly 20 years. The first well was drilled using the percussion method. One of our donors saw the process and donated 2 mobile drills for our use. We now also have a big rig for use in areas where we encounter rock layers or other obstacles that the smaller drills cannot overcome. The team is Ugandan staffed and led through the efforts of Herbert Asiimwe, the Director of CEED Uganda. Herbert has been leading these drilling teams for over 15 years and most of our drillers have over a decade of experience each.

Herbert is also a licensed CPA [so] the bookkeeping is kept to the highest standards and oversight is done in the US office by both Kate and the CEED board. They are our exclusive drilling team in Uganda. Each well is funded individually and goes directly to the cost of running the drill and salaries for the teams on the ground. After all the workman is worth their wages, and one of CEEDs goals has
always been to ensure that those working for us can support their families through the work they do.

We also make sure that we are running our equipment responsibly. A part of each well’s cost goes directly into maintenance and small repairs to keep things running smoothly.

WELL MAINTENANCE & REPAIRS

The funding for future repairs and maintenance is a two-part process. When the village is chosen for a well, they sign a contract stating that they will do their best to set aside a few pennies per month to help cover the cost of future repairs. They can do this by selling surplus water to local farmers, or by having a collection. 

This method acts as a guarantee that the school, village etc. will take ownership of the well. When something is wrong, they have the responsibility to reach out and let us know, so the wells can be repaired in a timely manner. This process works and it grew out of many years of experience in Uganda. Without this process the village [would] not take full ownership of the well. Before we implemented it, we found that wells would break from small fixable issues but the village wouldn’t contact us because it ‘wasn’t their well.’ The committee and the water fund solved this issue.

CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP

We always use our drilling opportunities as a disciple-making outreach. We try to dig our wells near churches or schools if possible. We also use the drilling itself as an outreach. One of our donors many years ago donated a solar-powered projection system. During the drilling people come from miles around to watch the drilling while it is happening. While that is going on the projection system is being charged. Then at night we set up the projector and play ‘The Jesus Film’ a film about Jesus’s life, ministry, death, and resurrection in the local dialect of the area where the well is being drilled. Then when the well is completed, we add a plaque with the donor’s names and
usually a verse telling the village why the water was gifted to them. The dedications are done by the local ministers of the church, turning even that event into a praise meeting.

PROJECT COSTS AND TIMELINE

Total Project Cost: $5,000 for a borehole well and hand pump.

Cost break out:

• Materials & Labor:  $4,550
• 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

FUTURE IMPACT

In 2020 CEED took the opportunity to do a survey of 20 villages that have access to one of our wells. On average, each village experienced a 70% reduction in illness across the board. Typhoid, Cholera, parasites, and water born illnesses dropped significantly. We do understand that there are, of course, other factors that play a part in community health, but it all must start with access to clean water.

The poverty cycle breaks because of the drop in illness rates. Parents are healthy enough to work, and without having to spend money on medicine, they will have enough money to feed their families, to pay for tuition and schoolbooks, to buy better seed, and to build better housing.

The churches in town will grow because of the clean water. The schools will see an increase in attendance as a new generation will be able to grow up getting an education. The old water sources will still be used for livestock, but the women and children won’t have
to risk exposure to either just to gather clean water.