Skip Navigation

photo gallery

Martin Atkins in Uganda with MRDF
Digging the well

The Revd Dr Martyn Atkins, President of the Methodist Conference, visited Volunteer Action for Development (VAD) in Uganda.
Find out what he saw in our picture gallery.


  • The old water source in Nakyelongo village was unhygienic
    and dangerous. Children, who do the water collecting,
    sometimes fell in or were even bitten by snakes.

    Nakyelongo parish old water source

 


  • Reste had benefited from a sister scheme run
    by MRDF's local partner. So she asked if they
    could help with the water supply problem.

 


  • MRDF funding meant the local partner could train a
    community mason and hire equipment, like this
    pump that removes water during construction.

    Staff and equipment for well construction

     
     


  • The whole community is involved in building the well, which
    means they feel real ownership of it. The young men of the
    village take turns to dig a foot of the well at a time.

     
     

  • It's hard, dirty work excavating the well.
    The President found out for himself just
    how heavy the waterlogged mud is.

 


  • The children, women and older men carry
    the rocks to build the walls of the well.




  • Asuman, the water technician funded by MRDF,
    explains the basics of well-engineering to
    the President, including how they make sure
    the well is correctly located and deep enough.





  • The people of Nakeylonga asked the President to take back
    their thanks to the MRDF supporters for helping them
    to have safe access to clean water.