The water situation in Te- Aceng village in Uganda could best be described as challenging. Consensus among hydrologists said that it was unlikely anyone would be able to drill a well in the area. In fact several organizations had attempted drill in the village without success.
The nearest source of clean water was a borehole well 15 km (9.3 miles) away. Too far away to be of use to the school or the villagers. So instead they were using an unprotected well which was 5 km away. Even if the water from this unprotected source was neither clean nor safe.
This lack of water affected the entire community as most people were drinking from streams and water holes. The majority of these water sources were seasonal, meaning they would be completely dry during the hotter months. When that happened people were forced to walk the long distance to the unprotected well.
The situation at the school put a lot of pressure on the children. Teachers would ask the older girls to fetch water from the well, knowing they would be missing lessons while they walked the long distance there and back.
In July 2021, Drop in the Bucket sent a hydrologist to Te-Aceng to see if we could drill a well on or near the school property. After performing several tests, the hydrologist found a suitable site. Soon after we dispatched a team of drillers to the location.
It was not an easy drill, but Drop in the Bucket’s team did manage to strike water and now Wii-Aceng primary school has its own source of clean water. The well is now being used by the school and local community who are so thankful to no longer have to walk long distances for water.
For more information on this well please follow this link.