WATER • SANITATION • HYGIENE

Building Healthy Communities

Student washing his hands at a school water, sanitation and hygiene facility in Uganda
Two Compair screw tack compressors at Drop in the Bucket's compound in Gulu Uganda

Clean water transforms lives. Across Africa, water, sanitation and hygiene are essential to building healthier communities. For women and girls, access to clean water means more than safe drinking water. It means freedom from the daily burden of collecting water, more time for school, caring for their families, earning a living, improved health, and greater opportunity. For entire communities, it means healthier families, stronger schools, and a foundation for lasting development.

Learn more about the
water crisis in Africa, why it persists, and the solutions that can create lasting change.

Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are at the heart of Drop in the Bucket’s work. Since 2006, we have partnered with rural communities across northern Uganda to provide sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene solutions. Working alongside local leaders and community members, we build infrastructure, strengthen community capacity, and create systems that communities can manage and sustain for generations.

Support a Water Project

Every water project begins with someone deciding to make a difference. Whether you're interested in providing clean water for a school, funding a community well, or simply learning how the process works, we're here to help.

SAFE WATER

Borehole Drilling

For communities without access to safe drinking water, a new borehole is life changing. Families no longer spend hours walking long distances to collect water, children have more time to attend school, and communities experience lasting improvements in health, safety, and opportunity. Drop in the Bucket owns and operates its own drilling equipment and employs experienced local drilling teams and WASH professionals. Because our staff live and work in the communities we serve, they understand local challenges and work closely with community leaders to identify the areas of greatest need. Every borehole is carefully planned, professionally constructed, and built to provide safe, reliable water for years to come.
Drop in the Bucket drillers operating a PAT Drill 301T in Uganda

School WASH

Solar Powered Piped Water Systems

As communities grow, so do their water needs. In larger communities, Drop in the Bucket constructs solar-powered piped water systems that deliver clean water to multiple collection points throughout the community.

These systems improve access, reduce long wait times at water sources, and provide reliable, sustainable water for households, schools, and health facilities while operating on clean, renewable energy.

sustainability

Borehole Rehabilitation & Maintenance

Restoring a broken borehole is often one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to return safe water to a community. Rather than allowing existing infrastructure to fall into disrepair, Drop in the Bucket rehabilitates non-functioning boreholes, extending their lifespan and restoring reliable access to clean water for thousands of people.

 Every rehabilitation project is paired with community training. Local hand pump mechanics receive practical instruction and the tools needed to diagnose problems, perform routine maintenance, and carry out repairs.

We also encourage the participation of women, ensuring they have equal opportunities to develop technical skills and play leadership roles in maintaining their community's water systems.

By building local knowledge and ownership, communities are better equipped to keep their water flowing for years to come.
Handpump mechanic training workshop in Iganga, Uganda
A local hand pump mechanic receives practical repair training during a Drop in the Bucket borehole rehabilitation program in northern Uganda.
Practical part of a hand pump mechanic training in Nwoya, Uganda
Hand pump mechanic training workshop in Nwoya, Uganda

“Sustainability isn’t something that can simply be purchased. It develops through trust, participation, local leadership and community ownership.”

Health

Sanitation and Hygiene

Safe water alone is not enough. Good sanitation and hygiene practices are essential for preventing disease and protecting community health.

Drop in the Bucket partners with schools and communities to construct improved sanitation facilities, promote handwashing, and deliver hygiene education that helps families reduce waterborne illnesses and create healthier environments for children to learn and grow.
a girl washed her hands at a school in Uganda where Drop in the Bucket built toilets and a well
A student washes her hands at a school sanitation facility in Uganda
A Ugandan girl collects water to flush Drop in the Bucket’s bio-digestion toilet at an East African school, an eco-friendly sanitation system that treats waste instead of storing it.
School water, sanitation and hygiene facilities built by Drop in the Bucket for the Hope Junior Primary School in Soroti Uganda
Handwashing reminder at Hope Junior School in Uganda

COMMUNITY

Community Empowerment.

Sustainable water systems depend on strong local leadership.
handover ceremony for a school water and sanitation project in Uganda
Local officials and community members celebrate the completion of a new water and sanitation project in Uganda
Water management When Drop in the Bucket drills a well they for a water users committee to manage and maintain the project
Water users group holds a meeting in Nwoya Uganda

Water Management Committees

Drop in the Bucket works with communities to establish and strengthen Water Management Committees that oversee the operation, maintenance, and long-term management of local water systems. Committee members receive training in governance, financial management, routine maintenance, and system oversight, ensuring communities have the knowledge and skills needed to manage their own water resources.

Village Savings & Loan Associations

We also support Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), helping community members build financial resilience while creating local savings that can contribute to household needs, small businesses, and community development.
Community members meet for a Village savings and loan association meeting (VSLA) in Uganda
Village savings and loan association meeting (VSLA) in northern Uganda
Drop in the Bucket staff meets with a water management committee in Gulu, Uganda

Boots on the ground

A Locally Led Approach

Our drilling teams, WASH officers, and field staff are based in the communities we serve, ensuring every project is informed by local knowledge and built for long-term sustainability.

Because our staff live and work in the communities we serve, they understand local challenges and work closely with community leaders to identify the areas of greatest need.

OUR IMPACT

Clean Water Creates Lasting Change
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Water Wells
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Sanitation Systems
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Pump Mechanics Trained
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Years Experience