Joe’s Story

Making a difference in Uganda

Joe joined the Action Sitaru project in rural Uganda. He and his team of volunteers had three aims; to improve access to clear water, to promote hygiene awareness, and to promote the knowledge and use of smokeless stoves…

Whilst there is no shortage of food, and the region sees lots of rain, it lacks the infrastructure and facilities to ensure safe drinking water. So Joe and his team addressed this by protecting a spring in the neighbouring village by digging back to the ‘eye’ of the spring and then using rocks and concrete to create a chamber behind a retaining wall from which the spring now issues.

Their second task was to promote hygiene awareness and to build a rain collecting tank at the village thus taking away the need for a half hour walk to collect water for pupils at the school and allowing more time to be spent on lessons. Joe and his team focused on key messages such as when and how to wash your hands as well as demonstrating water purification methods like boiling all drinking water or using Moringa seeds as a natural alternative to chemicals like chlorine.

Joe is so pleased that he went to Uganda, where he learnt a lot about the world and about himself. “Thanks to the Bursary Fund I feel that my trip has change my life for the better” said Joe.

Project Organiser: Little BIG Africa