How a Well in Africa Changed one Woman’s Life

Kati-Kati West, a rural community in northern Uganda, witnessed how a well in Africa changed one woman’s life. Akot Rose Ajok, a single mother of five, previously struggled to make ends meet. Before Covid, she worked as a matron in a local primary school. When the pandemic closed schools, she lost her income. Determined to support her family, she started baking and selling pastries, including simsim cookies, popular in Uganda. These require a lot of water to wash sesame seeds, making the well crucial.

Akot Rose worried about starting her new business. She knew that to make cookies, she would need at least seven jerricans of water daily. “It takes a lot of water to wash the sesame seeds,” she explains. Fortunately, the new well drilled by Drop In The Bucket arrived just in time to support her endeavor.

The Difference Made by Clean Water

The upcoming Christmas holidays were a pressing concern for Akot. However, the money she earned from selling simsim allowed her to buy new clothes for her children, ensuring their best Christmas ever. As she starts the new year, she is excited that she has already put aside enough money to pay her children’s school fees. With the news reporting that schools in Uganda are finally reopening soon, the future looks bright for Akot Rose and her children.

Now that Kati Kati West Has a Well: a Well in Africa Changed one Woman’s Life

“The borehole is near my home. I’m happy to have clean water for drinking and cooking,” she says. With a smile, she adds, “I’ll never use unclean water for making cookies again.” She told the school she won’t return to her old job. Akon has a new career – making pastries.

This story from Kati Kati West demonstrates how the new well has transformed lives. Follow Drop in the Bucket on Facebook and Instagram for more updates on our work.