Northern Uganda
Global Access is proud to partner with Lift Up Uganda (LUU) to provide safe drinking water to remote communities in Northern Uganda.
Our team arrived in Kampala late in the evening to get a few hours of rest before driving north to the city of Gulu. As we arrived in Gulu, we spotted the smiling faces of our partners walking down the street. After a brief greeting we headed to our hotel to start preparing for a week of safe water workshops.
Each morning, we loaded up our trucks to head to villages in the countryside less than 100 km (50 miles) from South Sudan.
In the village of Indure, each volunteer was honored by planting a mango tree as a symbol of life. Sue, the founder of LUU, inspired our group by showing a tree she had planted ten years ago. Families gathered to learn how to assemble and maintain their own in-home water filter system. To grow a sustainable community led program, Global Access trained both volunteers from Northern Nature Safaris and Students from Archangel Michael Secondary School. With these dedicated volunteers, we provide continual monitoring of the program to assure maximum health benefits. During the workshop, our youngest volunteer at the age of six introduced the kids to blowing bubbles while their parents shared concerns of sickness from typhoid and other bacteria. With this great of a need for safe water, we should see results in a very short period.
In the village of Loyajunga, we were greeted by women in brightly patterned dresses singing and walking along side our truck. We were all deeply moved by this joyous celebration. Families sat under the shade of a few large trees while the students from Archangel Michael Secondary School led the entire workshop. This group did an amazing job. After the workshop we visited a few homes for our volunteers to see how and where these water systems would be used.
We visited the clinic and school that LUU has helped over the years. The organization recently funded a new ambulance and the construction of a children’s library. It was amazing to see the impact LUU has made. We are proud to have partners that are so deeply dedicated to communities on many levels. At the primary school, St. Nektarios, our six year old volunteer got to experience a classroom in Uganda before the teachers assembled their own safe water systems. After completing the workshop, we were treated to a performance by each grade and then a final Luo Ajere dance that got all of our volunteers up and groovin’.
The safe water systems that Global Access has developed are ideal for these remote communities. They will have a profound impact on the health of young children. We look forward to returning to see our new friends and help many more.
