Help us raise £7,500 to install a borehole at Busingiro Primary School

189 children attend Busingiro Primary School in the Masindi region of Uganda. The school management committee at Busingiro desperately wants to supply clean water to these children. But like many schools in the poor rural areas of the country, the pupils are being put at serious risk because they have no access to safe drinking water.

The nearest shallow well is a 2.5 kilometre walk away. To make matters worse, the water is contaminated with harmful bacteria from human excrement and sewage, and is frequently used by local livestock. The result is a high risk of germs spreading, with the children in danger of contracting killer diseases like cholera and typhoid. But with no alternative water source the children have no choice but to take that risk, using the water for drinking as well as washing, cleaning and irrigation. And because of the distance involved, it is difficult for the children to collect enough water to wash their hands after going to the toilet, putting themselves and their teachers at further risk of infection. 

For girls attending Busingiro, the impact is even greater because they can’t manage their cleanliness (or ‘wash themselves thoroughly’) during menstruation. They therefore stay at home during their period, meaning they fall behind at school, increasing the likelihood that they will eventually drop out because they can’t catch up with their work. Finally, children taking time off each day to fetch water lose out on time they should be spending in the classroom, and are overly tired when they are at school.

All of the efforts of the children, teachers and parents of Busingiro Primary School are being undermined because their fundamental right to clean and safe drinking water is not being fulfilled. A borehole at the school would change everything, helping children to avoid diseases, and in the long run, stay in school and complete their education.

If you are interested in sponsoring a borehole at Busingiro Primary School so that the whole school community can receive clean, safe water, please get in touch today.

Act now and save lives by contacting gavin.salmon@build-africa.org.uk or simply fill in this form and we will get back to you.

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