Due to the diligence and persistence of Texas Baptist Men water ministry volunteers, a refugee camp in northwestern Uganda has a new source of pure drinking water.
TBM volunteers worked in the Tika Zone of a camp that primarily serves refugees who fled armed conflict in South Sudan. The TBM crew drilled a well adjacent to a Christian community center.
Working 12-hour days, volunteers encountered layer upon layer of clay as they drilled before they finally found a reliable water source at a depth of 281 feet.
“This will provide a more robust source of water for the community,” said Tim Wint, the lead driller on the trip. “When we started out, the wells that were in this general area were rated for 500 people. There’s more than 2,000 people in just this little area. The entire camp is home to more than 120,000 people.”
While it is the first well drilled by TBM within the refugee camp, they hope it will not be the last. Last year, 11 people died when Ugandan nationals and Sudanese refugees fought over access to limited water in the area.
In addition to drilling, the TBM crew taught local Ugandans and Sudanese leaders well-drilling techniques.
“Soon, locals will be able to drill wells on their own with TBM equipment that remains in the area. Prayerfully, we hope clean water will become easily accessible across the camp,” said Dee Dee Wint, vice president of TBM water ministry.
The well strategically is located at a Christian community center, she noted.
“Water will help draw people to it, empowering leaders to share the gospel and counsel the many people who have suffered trauma after trauma,” she said.
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