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Celebrating Success in Northern Uganda

So what? Three years, over $1,500,000, and the energy of numerous schools, civic groups, and individuals have poured into Lifewater International’s Project Restoring Hope in northern Uganda. So what? Was hope truly restored? Have people been enabled and empowered to live the full, healthy life that God intended? Lifewater has completed the Project Restoring Hope final evaluation and is please to celebrate the success of restoring hope, health, and faith in a region of over 100,000 people.

Safe water, adequate sanitation, and effective hygiene are key elements to a community’s health, productivity, and future. Lifewater has seen all of these elements improve significantly and has even seen the “next step” of the impact beginning to take place as school attendance has increased, test scores have boosted, visits to community health clinics have reduced, and people are reporting a greater sense of community trust and collaboration.

“[I am] a knowledgeable man in health-related issues, and have so far attended very many trainings in health. But out of all of them, none is comparable to this training that is just ending. I saw love and the fear of God in this place. We need to love our own people and work for them. We have been told about Lifewater, a foreign organization showing that love through Divine Waters Uganda, and Divine Waters giving out that love. Why should we not show that love?”

-Ogwal Lawrence, age 50, Leader of Ogur Sub-County Village Health Team

In addition to the physical impact this project has made, spiritual maturity is growing as the gospel is shared through word and through deed by Lifewater staff, volunteers, and our Ugandan partner staff as they work in communities. While many organizations and well drilling companies provide safe water, Lifewater’s partner intentionally has their well drilling team spend a night or two in each community in order to form a real relationship with the community and to have a chance to share the gospel through their actions. In a region torn apart by the recent war with the rebel group known as the Lord’s Resistance Army, scars deeper than physical are etched in a wounded society. Amidst these scars, the God used Lifewater and our partner to restore hope, health, and faith.

“This place is… where the rebels massacred hundreds of people. Many people have not yet recovered fully from the trauma of what took place. [The] Jesus Film delivers the best healing message to the people here. In this place, at least everyone witnessed his/her relative being killed. The persecution and the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus, teaches and makes us learn that murder, robbery, and death are merely earthly activities. When one day we shall outlive them, they will look like slaves with no reward.”

-Ereng Isaac, age 25, Barlonyo village

So what change did three years, thousands of dollars, and the energy of hundreds of groups of people bring? It brought safe water to over 92,822 people; it brought  life-saving hygiene and sanitation knowledge to more than 82,500 people; most importantly, it brought a community of over 100,000 people the knowledge, skills, and hope to take charge of their future for themselves and their children.

Thank you to each one of you who gave a minute, a dollar, or a prayer to help make this project a success. We welcome your continued support as we begin work  in one of the neighboring sub-counties in northern Uganda through Project Restoring Dignity.

Choose a Village. Change a Life.