Uganda - Good news from Project Hope - Water for Spire High School

Dear All,

A deep water well has been dug and constructed at Spire High School. The men were able to go down more than 100 feet with their hoes, pickaxes, cut jerrycans and ropes to get the water. Spire High school is located on hill, the men excavated the earth with some concern of what if the water is not found down there?! But they were hopefull all the way, expressing their willingness to dig down up to 170 feet it that was required. They dug through soft soil and hard rock as well. When they reached about 90 feet, they had to start to construct with brick, cement and sand to protect the soft soil that they had gotten into from falling into the water, and also to protect themselves from being burried by that same soil.

Today, they have managed to construct a covering on the mouth of the well. It was last Saturday when they started July 3rd 2010 that they started to draw the water, still mixed with dirt, and the table still raising. It is clean water now. They are still drawing it with a rope. The students, too, will use the rope for some time. However, the school hopes that with time, an electric water pump will be installed to ease the work.

We was so moved by the love and hope with which Mr. Kibedi, head of the team, and all his team carried out the work. Some members of his team fell sick and the work stalled for about a week. But they were able to resume and complete. We can never thank them enough. Perhaps the knowledge of how much useful their contribution to the school and the nearby community would be kept them going.

We hope that communities will with time be able copy this model of deep water wells as they can be less costly in setting up and maintaining compared to boreholes and other water source. We will however have to observe the well over a period of time to see if any changes occur.

We want to warmly thank all the friends of Project Hope-Uganda; British Airways, A Ray of Hope(who is also both mother and father), St. Marks Nursery and Primary School, Fielding Primary School, etc, for this blessing of water to a school and community who have had to travel long distances to draw unsafe water from ponds.

Also, Manyangwa Modern Primary School got electrified. I will take some pictures when I visit them next.

Love and blessings,

Pius Seguya