Welcome to Vision Africa

NAKIVALE REFUGEE SETTLEMENT

SOUTH WEST UGANDA

EMERGENCY WATER SUPPLY APPEAL

UN agencies have stepped up efforts to assist those displaced by the violence: (Photo courtesy of MUNOC)

Fresh outbreaks of violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have caused a massive influx of  refugees into Uganda.  Many have been walking for over two weeks before finally reaching the relative safety of receiving camps in  Uganda. The tragic story of Jacquelyn Ingenda Himana is not an uncommon one.    She was interviewed;

"I’m 58 years old and now all my children are dead. I lost them one by one, all four of them, over the past one month. The rebels snatched them from their houses. They were grown and had their own children, and all of these children have run to different places. I don’t know where they are.

"My husband died of cholera many years ago, and now my children are gone, so all I have is my niece, who is deaf and an orphan. But we travel together. We went 60km, walking in the day and sleeping in the bush at night. We ran with nothing. I saw so many people being killed that I just left without collecting my things. Even children are being killed.

"I want to go to Nakivale, and rest. There are still people being killed in Congo. How can I go back? I wanted to board the bus to Nakivale yesterday, but there was no room. I hope to leave today. All I want is peace and somewhere to sleep and something to eat."

Over 30,000 Congolese refugees have recently fled into Uganda, and many more are expected to arrive as the conflict continues.  Unfortunately once they have escaped the perils of war they face the risk of potentially fatal diseases such as cholera due to unclean drinking water.  As you enjoy the festive season, spare a thought and a prayer for those whose only wish is for  food, clean water, and rest.

Vision Africa, a Brisbane based Community Development Organisation  with operations in Uganda, is raising urgently needed funds to set up  water filtration systems to purify water from a nearby lake.  In  partnership with Sky Juice Foundation, Vision Africa will set up filtration systems using Australian-made SkyHydrants, with each unit producing 20,000 litres of clean and safe drinking water per day.

You can help by making a tax deductible donation.  Just $15 provides someone with a permanent supply of clean water.  How many people could you help today?

Some of the DRC refugees have been walking for two weeks before reaching the Ugandan border (Photos courtesy of UNHCR)

*Tax Deductible donation online, please click on:

(Receipt will be issued by Global Development Group)
*Donations in Australia and USA to this approved aid & development project are tax deductible

WATER FACTS

Contaminated water affects 1.1 billion people on the planet. It causes 80% of all sickness and disease, and kills more people

every year than all forms of violence, including war. Of the 42,000 deaths that occur each week from a lack of access to clean water, 90% are children under 5.

NEW SOLAR WATER PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY FOR UGANDA

Mono Pumps Australia in partnership with GE Water have developed a new solar water purification system which can provide 15,000 litres of clean and safe water using surface water from a lake, river, dam or swamp as the primary water supply. Through the process of ultrafiltration, viruses, bacteria and other impurities are removed and safe clean drinking water is delivered on tap for community use. Read more ...

New clean water tank and the Solar UF unit at the St Francis Hospital in Uganda

SOLAR UF PILOT SITE PART COMPLETED IN UGANDA

St Francis Nyenga Hospital near Jinja in Uganda was selected as the Pilot Project for the installation of the first 300 WATT Solar Ultrafiltration system. This system is now providing 15,000 litres of clean and safe drinking water for the Hospital and the surrounding community. read more...

Clean water is now available on tap

ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER KEEPS GIRLS IN SCHOOL

Today in Africa most girls have two choices, go and get water or go to school. Women and children walk 6 kilometers daily on average to provide water for their family's needs. Our project data clearly shows that there is a 20-30% increase in girl school attendance when water is made available in or close to the school. Addition of proper sanitation with washing facilities for girls not only improve their personal hygiene but they further increase school attendance as the girls move from adolescence to puberty. We believe that girls deserve an equal opportunity access to education and access to tertiary and vocational training of their own choosing.