THE KICUZI PROJECT
A Celebration 3 Years in the Making
Three monumental years for the region of Kicuzi, Uganda.
Because of your support, more than 17,000 children, women, and men living 6,000 feet up in the hills now have access to one of the most critical aspects of human flourishing needed: clean, disease-free water. Not only this, but their schools now have clean, private bathrooms, and the health of their families is increasing with hygiene and sanitation training.
The Kicuzi Project began as a distant hope.
On the night of our WaterBash event in 2017, we gave a fundraising pitch that seemed highly improbable: introducing the largest and most comprehensive water project in Acts for Water’s history. And yet, when we had little faith, you responded in abundant generosity.
An incredible transformation.
Each one of the project’s three phases was met with setbacks, challenges, and what often felt like insurmountable odds. But each time we witnessed the resiliency, commitment, and innovation of our team. Everything was on the table for them. After thirty years of doing things one way, we knew through data that we had to grow. Learning, professional development, evaluation and feedback all poured into improved Monitoring & Evaluation practices, more holistic WASH training, and incredible achievements reaching the government’s highest national standards for hygiene and sanitation!
Everyone has something to offer.
In fact, it’s what makes a project like this so meaningful. Over 400 volunteers came out. Many gave land. Parents joined in to help work on the school latrines.
The schools helped fund 15% of the latrine costs. And for the first time, the local district government contributed over $38,000 CDN to this entire project, providing pipes and much more.
Edwin's story gripped us.
While every family we meet is unique, Edwin’s story gripped the hearts of our community more than most. We met her in March 2019. She was 16, living high up in the hills of Kota with her parents and 6 siblings - far from water and even farther from opportunity. We put her story out there on World Water Day and you gave so generously. Then the government backed out. Then COVID happened. We truly didn’t know if she’d ever get water.
You stepped in.
When COVID-19 hit, we had no idea the impact it would have on the people we served, let alone on our charity. One thing we did know was that the clean water you had helped us provide would be more critical now than ever before. At least three miracles came out of our community during this time: You stepped in and gave in generously quick ways so we could move into action. The pressure of COVID and limited resources forced our team to innovate, providing soapmaking workshops and more. Though there was much hardship, lives were spared and we were able to do more than ever before.
The Women of Muhaha.
It is women who bear the brunt of the work for water collecting. On average, women in Uganda spend 6 hours a day walking to and from their closest water source. Your gift of water has now freed these women from that exhausting and limiting responsibility!
"The stream that we collect water from contains feces and all sorts of rubbish -- It’s contaminated! I am so glad to hear Acts for Water is working to come to our village to give us clean and safe water to our area. How I look forward to that because I know that water is life." ~ Maria, aged 45
"We have a problem with water. We walk long distances to retrieve it, our children get sick of worms, typhoid, and coughs because of it. When we heard of Acts coming to out area to give us clean water, we felt so happy and pleased. Thank you." ~ Stellah, aged 38
"In my life, I have failed to fetch water and sometimes sleep hungry. I am a widow so I don’t have anyone to fetch water for me. When I heard a message that you want to bring clean water to us, I had to rush to come and meet the people who want to take away this burden from me. Thank you very much!" ~ Frida, aged 60
In the middle of a global pandemic.
In August 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic, we broke ground on the second portion of this project: Kota. Like the phases before it, Kota took all of the learnings from the previous phases, and because of the generosity of our community during this time, we were able to add on to the number of villages reached. And Edwin’s family did indeed get clean water.
The home stretch.
The final phase of the project was the biggest yet: Muhaha. And it got even bigger when our team discovered the opportunity to extend water further to the last-mile village of Kisabo. As the stories of Florence & Patricia captured people's hearts, the outpouring of generosity allowed us to add 11 more taps to Muhaha and the largest school-based water and sanitation project we’d ever done!
We [over] Came Together. Nearly 1,000 people gathered on January 12th for the Kicuzi Project Commissioning: A celebration 3 years in the making!
Kicuzi by the Numbers.
17,000 people 86 taps 5 schools 13 latrine blocks - 65 toilets 15 villages 40 kilometres of pipe $38,000 contribution from the local district $28,000 contribution for latrines from schools & parents 900 new household latrines 600 improved household latrines 97% of households practicing handwashing with soap 100% of households collecting clean water from a safe source
It couldn't have happened without you.
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