The Rotary Club of Havant working with the Rotary Club of Jinja
to provide clean water for the people of Namizi Village
I belong to the Rotary Club of Havant, Hampshire, which is a dynamic Rotary Club, involved in many projects both at home and abroad. When
I was last in Uganda working on my personal projects, I took about a
week out to go with members of both of the Rotary Clubs that are based
in Jinja, the second largest town in Uganda, to learn about the work
they're doing and find out about their future plans to redress the needs
of local communities. When I returned, our Club's International
Committee, of which I am a member, reviewed this information and with
the agreement of the whole Club, it was decided to support and fund
three of these projects. Two projects are with the Rotary Club of Jinja and one with the Rotary Club of Source of the Nile, Jinja.Below
are brief details of the first of these projects to come to fruition.
As you can see, the community is now enjoying the basic human right of
clean water for the first time in their lives. The Protected Spring at Namizi village, Budondo, near Jinja, Uganda
funded by the Rotary Club of Havant, UK with all the planning and work undertaken by
the Rotary Club of Jinja, Uganda.
Collecting water from the natural spring at Namizi village 90+ villagers left their daily subsistence farming to help
which was still running despite the recent drought. with the 1st day's work to start protecting the spring.
After the first day, the male and female villagers mostly Engineer, Mr Dan Bam and apprentice working on the
alternated their days of helping to minimise the impact retaining wall. In the background, a village boy can be
on their normal daily tasks. seen collecting water for his family.
Close up of a village boy collecting water The first children collecting clean water
At the Official Opening Ceremony, the local MP makes These village elders are thanking Rotarian Joseph. The
speeches of thanks to the Rotary Clubs of Havant, UK and local village Chairman is with them. These old men have
Jinja, Uganda for providing this source of clean drinking had to wait all their lives for the basic human right of
water for the people of Naziri near Budondo. clean water. Now at last they have it.
This plaque was cemented into place in the springs wall. More media interviews It celebrates the cooperation of the two Rotary Clubs.
working together to help poor Ugandan villagers.
Media filming the event and the local dignitaries. but the Meanwhile, children queue up to fulfil their twice daily
people can't wait to continue collecting their water. duties of collecting water for their families
This protected spring has a very good flow, despite the recent drought. It takes between 70 and 90 seconds to fill a 20 litre jerry can. All they have to do then, is carry it all the way home. A 20 litre jerry can weighs 20kgs - the same as your airline luggage.
The spring will provide clean drinking water for the dispersed village community of Naziri which has a population of more than 1,500 people who live by subsistence farming.
To contact the Rotary Club of Havant please see their website:
www.havantrotaryclub.org.uk
To contact the Rotary Club of Jinja please email William Okello (International Projects) at:
logistics@picfare.com or
willingokello@gmail.com
Many thanks go to International Projects Chairman and Past President: William Okello,
Past President: John Kirkwood, and everyone else in the Rotary Club of Jinja who have all worked
to
Make this Dream Real.
The name chosen by the villagers for their protected spring is
Kyomusangavu meaning 'Someone is Happy'