Residents of Aweikwo village, in Alutkot parish, Loro sub-county, Oyam, are celebrating the installation of a new borehole.
Patrick Ogwang Obura, an aspirant for Oyam South MP, and Pioneer Evangelism Network Uganda collaborated on the new water source. This significant development aims to address the urgent need for clean water in the community.
tndNews understands that the borehole was installed to increase the percentage of Oyam residents who have access to clean water, particularly in the Oyam South.
Patrick Ogwang Obura expressed his commitment to improving access to clean water at the project’s launch. He emphasized the importance of partnering with Pioneer Evangelism Network Uganda in addressing issues such as waterborne diseases, family conflicts, and school dropouts and absenteeism caused by long distances to clean water.
“Due to the overwhelming demand for water in this area, we thought it wise to bring this water point here to serve the community,” said Ogwang Obura.
“This will go a long way in addressing the challenges arising from dirty water, family conflicts, and helping our children who have been abandoning schools due to long distances in accessing clean water,” he added.
Obura revealed plans to continue lobbying development partners for more water points in the area. This initiative aims to transition the community from wells to boreholes and, eventually, tap water.
Justine Okello, Public Relations Officer for Pioneer Evangelism Network Uganda, thanked Ogwang for his collaboration. Okello explained that Aweikwo village was chosen due to the community’s severe water scarcity.
He also stated that their plan and budget for 2025 include drilling at least 20 new boreholes and rehabilitating over 100 existing ones in Oyam district.
Christine Nyana, Loro sub-county’s Community Development Officer (CDO), praised the partnership as a supplement to the government’s efforts to provide access to clean water.
Nyana stated that water scarcity contributes to domestic violence and waterborne diseases, as many community members continue to share water with animals.
According to Nyana, her office has received numerous reports of sexual abuse, particularly involving women and children fetching water from distant sources.
Geoffrey Okello, 91, stated that the community has been plagued by waterborne diseases and has relied on contaminated water for the past 25 years. He hopes that the new borehole will resolve these issues and improve the community’s overall well-being.
Currently, the percentage of access to clean water in Oyam district stands at 72%, according to the water department.
Patrick Ogwang Obura and Pioneer Evangelism Network Uganda have already drilled over four boreholes and rehabilitated many more in Oyam South.
By Chris Woo
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