G.O.D. East Africa Cooperatives Provide Water Catchment for Local Widows

2020 G.O.D. Holiday Campaign Donors Help Fund Water Catchment Projects in Uganda

Last winter, we asked our supporters to contribute to helping our cooperatives build and repair water catchments for local widows in Uganda. With the funds collected, and skilled laborers in the field, we were able to repair two cisterns and build two water catchment systems. Water access attached to their homes directly impacts three widows and two dozen young adults and children living with them. Prior to this, some of the youth were retrieving water from a half-mile away, making sanitation and hygiene unachievable. Now, they collect rainwater from their roofs. A life-changing and life-saving opportunity.

Zainabu Lwoga, widowed for 41 years, has working cisterns for the first time in 72 years

In recent years, our cooperatives in Uganda have gotten to know one of their neighbors, a widow named Zainabu Lwoga. She was married at the age of 13, and widowed in 1980. As God’s people who care for orphans and widows in distress (Jas 1:27), our cooperatives have become increasingly aware of her and her family’s needs, which led them to concentrate on her water issues. The water cisterns on her land were built 72 years ago, and only worked for two weeks. They had been dry ever since, unable to hold water, until this year. Cooperative Francis Lubega (East Africa field manager for NuWaterWorks) and those he’s trained in water system repair fixed hers.

Widow and mother of 9 receives water catchment system

Ruth has been a long-time friend of ours in Uganda. She and her husband Joseph had nine children before he died about five years ago. She continues to love and serve the Lord amidst the hardship she faces. Praise be to God, Francis and his crew were able to build a water catchment system at her home. Not having to pay for water or travel a distance to retrieve it saves her and her family unimaginable time, stress, and ill-health.

Ruth joins our fellowship in Uganda for a church service in 2019.

The newly-constructed water catchment system outside our dear friend Ruth’s home.

Francis builds water catchment for his widowed mother

For their final water cistern project this year, Francis was able to help provide water catchment for his own mother. Though a widow herself, she’s always had her son’s support. Not only has the water system blessed her, but him as well. He shares this with our community and all those who helped fund the project:

I don't know how I can express my sincere gratitude to you all for what you have done. The fact is that everything was upon my shoulders to ensure that my mom gets all the basic needs, but I was just looking upon the Lord who never forsakes his people. You have all worked with the Lord to lift this burden and I can feel that a very great burden has been lifted from me and the joy of my mom has been fulfilled. There is no way I could have been able to do this. Thank you so much for that gift.

Francis’ mother smiles beside her newly-constructed water cistern.

We thank God for all the ways these women and their families have been blessed by the efforts of Francis, his team, our cooperatives, our community, and the supporters and donors of this project. Water, life’s most essential nutrient, though a ‘given’ for some in the world, is an actual gift to others. We’re overjoyed to participate in bringing this gift to those most in need of it. Praise God with us.