The idea to build a sustainable, healthy water source for students at the ever-growing St. Charles Lwanga campus started with one of our sponsors, last spring. The idea became a reality when another sponsor stepped in to write the check for the solar-powered well.
“As we’ve doubled the number of students on our campus with the advent of the St. Andrew Secondary school – the need for safe drinking water for our students has outgrown our resources,” said Fr. Matthias Kakooza. “This well will be a big help for all of us.”
The inspiration for funding the well goes back ten years to a day when Fr. Matthias – making his annual trip to Chicago – paid a visit to Karen Davern and her father, who was suffering from a prolonged illness. “He brought such comfort to me and my dad, and I’ve never forgotten it,” said Davern. “I have always wanted to do something for him to show my gratitude and this well was the perfect opportunity.”
For the last four years, Davern also has sponsored, Helen, a young woman, who attends the new secondary school – so her gift of gratitude also will benefit her scholarship student and all of her classmates.
Stephanie Lippian, the OHU sponsor who first imagined the well, is overseeing its development and construction and will be on hand for its completion during our July mission trip. “We are so blessed to have clean water available to us in all forms. It’s hard to imagine a world where the students that we sponsor work so hard at school to make us proud, and don’t have clean water to live a healthy life. Now, we will continue to see our students thrive by making life just a little easier for them.”
