We are thrilled to report that as of this weekend (29 February 2020) there is now clean, potable water running in Buwunga! The solar-powered pump and water purification point are both up and running, thanks to the dedicated efforts of the team in Uganda.
Over the past 2 months, the team has been hard at work to make this project a reality, including achieving the following key milestones:
While water is already flowing to the community, an official ‘launch’ of the waterworks is planned for this weekend (7 March 2020) with the district officials and a representative from the Ugandan Ministry of Water in attendance. There will be a further training with community members later this month to ensure ongoing maintenance of the project.
The Buwunga Community Water Project now provides access to clean water for ~1,300 people in Buwunga, a disadvantaged community along the shores of Lake Victoria in Uganda. PICC has partnered with Water Mission, Nile Engineering, and, of course, the community of Buwunga to make this project a reality.
Thank you to the patience and commitment of all of our donors in helping to bring clean water to the community of Buwunga.
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The Buwunga Community Water Project is working to provide access to clean water for ~1,300 people in Buwunga, a disadvantaged community along the shores of Lake Victoria in Uganda. PICC has partnered with Water Mission, a well-respected, international NGO with significant experience with borehole construction, to implement the Buwunga Community Water Project.
As was last reported, drilling had begun on the borehole, but after reaching ~120 feet, the team encountered thick clay and mud. Concerns were then raised that the layers of rock and mud might affect the quantity and quality of water, so the engineers have migrated to a design that will pump water from the lake to a purification point, which will act as the water distribution point for the village. The design is based on a water pumping project on an island in Lake Victoria that works well in a very similar context. We have revised the contract with the engineering group, work on the new design has begun, and we anticipate the project will now be completed by March 2020.
The on-site team has had multiple consultations with the Buwunga Community, and they are supportive of the water pumping plan. They understand that such a facility requires more hands-on maintenance, and they have agreed to develop a plan for a community team to be trained to carry out maintenance.
We are deeply grateful for the support and flexibility of the Buwunga Community as we work together to overcome these unexpected challenges. We remain both committed and confident in our ability to provide clean water to the Buwunga Community – and will report back on the progress of the new pumping facility.
Over the past 3 months, PICC completed the survey and siting of the borehole, finalized the construction plan with the community, and began drilling.
Drilling of the borehole began on 16 March 2019 and the contractor was initially able to dig ~120 feet. The drill encountered thick clay and mud at that depth and the contractor made the determination that the project required a different drill-rig, which had to be sourced from northern Uganda.
Unfortunately, the new rig is experiencing technical issues, which require a replacement part to be brought in from India. The team looked into other, more expedient, replacement options, including sourcing for a similar drill-rig from an alternate company. Regrettably, the costs were prohibitive, and most rigs were fully booked until the end of June with Ministry of Water and Environment work.
So, for now, we wait for the additional part from India. This delay, coupled with the start of the rainy season in Uganda, shifts the timeline to complete drilling to the end of the summer.
We have continued to keep the Buwunga community apprised of the situation, and despite this disappointment the community remains engaged and supportive. They agree that the benefits of clean water are worth waiting for.
Fortunately, the drilling delay has not impacted some of our other work, including youth outreach. Last month, PICC collaborated with a local Ugandan entrepreneur to support a football tournament with 200 adolescents from Buwunga and 5 outlying island communities. The tournament was used as a way of engaging youth in discussions around livelihoods and health.
Thank you for your generosity in supporting Peace Island Children's Center. We look forward to providing further updates on this project, along with our other work with the Lake Victoria fishing communities.
2019 has gotten off to a busy start for PICC’s Buwunga Community Water Project. Buwunga is a disadvantaged community along the shores of Lake Victoria in Uganda and this project is funding the construction of a community well with three distribution points, providing access to clean water for ~1,300 people.
PICC has partnered with Water Mission, a well-respected, international NGO with significant experience with borehole construction, who will provide oversight and advice throughout the project. The work will be divided into 2 phases: Phase 1, which is currently underway, will consist of the surveying and drilling of the borehole; Phase 2 will involve the installation of pipes and tanks. Since January 1st we have:
We are currently finalizing the contract for siting, drilling and pump testing and we are excited to announce that drilling will begin in mid-March!
Plans are also underway to link this project to some of our other work. We are in discussion with a Ugandan entrepreneur to collaborate on our youth programming, including sponsorship of a football tournament and a bike race around the launch of the well. We are also exploring a collaboration on a youth skills-building program and expanding the reach of the Buwunga Primary School to allow more children access to education.
The benefits of clean water are enormous, and include improved health and sanitation, increased free-time for children to attend school, and increased time for women to focus on income-generating projects. Thank you for your generosity in supporting Peace Island Children's Center. We look forward to providing further updates on this project, along with our other work with the Lake Victoria fishing communities.
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