SAFE, CLEAN, RELIABLE WATER
Clean Water, Living Hope
Access to safe, clean and reliable water remains a serious challenge for many communities throughout Lweru. Families often depend upon streams for drinking, cooking and washing, but these water sources can become unsafe or disappear completely during the dry season.
For the Diocese of Lweru, providing access to clean water is a practical expression of the love of Jesus Christ. These projects protect health, strengthen families and enable local churches to become centres of hope and service within their communities.
The responsibility for collecting water falls mainly upon women and young girls, who may walk considerable distances each day. This places a heavy burden upon families and can expose women and children to additional dangers.
Community Water Wells
Through past support from Anglican Aid of the Diocese of Sydney, the Diocesan Development Office completed water-well projects in the communities of Kasharunga, Burungula and Rulanda.
These wells have provided more dependable access to water and reduced the distance many families must travel to meet one of life’s most basic needs.
Harvesting Rainwater
The diocese has also developed its Tanks for Rainwater initiative. Churches in Bukoba, Buhaya and Rwanganilo have been equipped with rainwater-harvesting tanks, with some churches receiving more than one tank according to the needs of the surrounding community.
At Bukoba Parish, three tanks—each with a capacity of 10,000 litres—were installed through past support from Anglican Aid Australia. According to the Rev. Canon Elisha Bililiza, the system has reduced the parish’s monthly water costs by approximately TSh 80,000. Some parishes have also been able to make water available to their neighbours while generating modest income to support parish ministry.
Rainwater harvesting could be introduced in many more parishes throughout the Diocese of Lweru. Additional support would allow churches to install tanks, improve water security and serve as visible centres of Christian compassion within their communities.
