World Relief in partnership with a US-based Mars Hill Bible Church, has started a campaign to help schools and churches have access to safe drinking water. Marie Louise Uwineza, World Relief’s Child Development programme Manager, said yesterday that the move is aimed at promoting healthy living among children. “We have used $7,000 (over Frw4.5m) to buy equipment and other necessary tools needed to extend clean water in schools and churches,” Uwineza said during the launch of the programme at Masaka, Kicukiro district. To clean the water, they use purifying chemicals and a specific type of purifying sand which is put in a container and plastic filter. According to Uwineza, they introduced the programme in the area after it found out that there was a problem of poor hygiene and many children were dying of diarrhoea. As part of the campaign, school children are taught and encouraged to discuss health issues. The children, parents, church and local leaders are also urged to clean their surroundings, wash their bodies, hands and clothes, and encouraged to drink boiled water. Robenr Johnson, who leads a team from Mars Hill Bible Church said that they are in the country because they believe people deserve clean water. He added that through their work, they feel Christ since they serve in the name of Jesus. He however, explained that the beneficiaries don’t need to be Christians, although their church works through Christian organisations like World Relief. Johnson added that volunteers from local associations are trained and they would in turn train others. “We train them how to do it. We leave them with tools and leave World Relief with money to facilitate the work.” Catherine Nikuze, the headmistress of Masaka Primary School, one of the beneficiary schools, said the 2,566 children at the school lacked access to clean drinking water due to the expenses involved. The school was given seven water containers each with capacity to store 150 litres of water. Ends
