In April 2023, the Gay Lea Foundation approved a $10,000 grant to H2O4ALL Canada, an Oakville, Ontario-based charity whose mission is to bring safe water and sanitation to developing areas worldwide.
The funds were used to facilitate the construction of a safe water system with three water access points. Two access points now serve a population of over 4,700 people living in Central Uganda’s Lusera Village and the third serves the staff and patients at the Reach One Touch One Ministries (ROTOM) Mama Linda Village Outreach Centre. Previously, 57% of the population relied on rainwater collection as a primary source of water, with many resorting to ponds and surface water as an alternative source due to water shortages.
Residents of Lusera Village celebrate their new water source and rejoice with a special commissioning ceremony.
The new water system has a capacity of 2,000 liters per hour, a 10,000-litre storage reservoir with a water treatment system, and a solar power source. All water is first treated at the reservoir before it is distributed to the access points and is monitored by ROTOM management with support from members of the community. Construction started in December 2023 and was completed on February 2, 2024, providing the people of Lusera with access to a safe, clean, and reliable water source for the first time.
“From the start of the project, the involvement of the community played a significant role in the final design and implementation of this project. Community members assisted in installing the water system by carrying tanks and bricks, rolling down pipes in trenches, and digging trenches for the water pipes,” says H2O4ALL co-founder Tim Muttoo.
“It is evident that the water project has reduced the heavy water burdens in the area. The community now has access to water stations to collect water for agriculture, hand washing, cooking, washing clothes, and helping reduce exposure to various illnesses and risks. The women and children who are typically tasked with collecting water can now focus on education and economic development. It will also create a dignified life for old persons living at the centre as they use running water in their showers and toilet facilities,” says Muttoo.
“ROTOM and Lusera Village can see an improvement in the health of their children, women’s health and safety, and community members in the years to come. We sincerely thank the Gay Lea Foundation for their generous support of H2O4ALL’s mission to provide clean, safe water to communities in need.”
