Uganda Appeal
50/ 50/ 50 match funding campaign – providing clean water in Uganda
Double your donation before the end of 2026
We have been running a village by village WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) project in Uganda since 2017. This is a collaborative model where village communities are brought together to identify local challenges and champion change. We have helped 29 villages so far to improve their access to clean water and sanitation facilities. Thousands of families no longer rely on dirty puddles and steams for collecting water, but can have the confidence of collecting water from protected boreholes and piped water.
To celebrate our 50th birthday, we are running our 50/ 50/ 50 campaign. This is our biggest match funding campaign to date. We have £50,000 worth of match funding available for any donation made to our water projects in Uganda from now until the end of the year. That is 50 years of impact, 50,000 people now supported by IN UK each year, and £50,000 match funding available.
project overview
Our impact
WASH 3 (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) in Uganda
Access to safe water has been a challenge for many communities in Buikwe District for a long time. This was one of the main reasons International Needs Uganda (IN UG) made WASH a priority in the communities where we work. When we started these interventions, access to safe water in Buikwe District stood at about 68.4%, while in Najja Sub- County it was around 67%. This was below the national rural target of 79% at the time. Sanitation and hygiene were also a concern. Latrine coverage was about 67.5%, while handwashing with soap at critical times was reported at only 26.9%.
Behind these figures were real challenges faced by families every day. In some communities, people depended on unsafe water sources, including Lake Victoria. Apart from the risk of water-related diseases, the time spent collecting water affected other important activities such as attending school, caring for families and earning a living.
Through our WASH programme, IN Uganda has been working with communities to improve access to safe water, particularly through the drilling and installation of boreholes. We have also worked with communities on sanitation, hygiene and the proper management of the water facilities.
We are encouraged by the changes we are seeing in communities such as Kikwanya and Banga. Families now have safer water closer to where they live. They report fewer illnesses associated with unsafe water and reduced spending on treatment and visits to health facilities. Children also have more time for school.
stories
Alongside a group from church, I travelled toBulyaasi village, Uganda, to see the impact ofthe church’s funding on a local water project. Each village is managed by a watercommittee made up of trusted villagers. TheBulyaasi committee took us to look at two wells, one of which was being maintained by the engineers. An essential aspect of the project is training the village engineers; they explained how the pump worked and proudly showed us how they maintain it and the surrounding runoff area. Also, villagers make weekly contributions to the water fund, which is recorded in an account book. They can deposit additional sums, so the project acts as a savings scheme, in some cases for a celebration, or to start a business. In addition to the life changing effect of fresh water close to home, the elder explained two other major benefits for the village. Firstly, the loan scheme allows many individuals to start small businesses. One lady took me to see the cow she had bought. The calf alongside was her third. She sells most of the milk and the calves and grows the fodder she needs on her land. “I can now afford to send my children to school,” she told me. Secondly, the weekly committee meetings bring the villagers closer together. The church members came away in good spirits, realising just how amazingly effective their giving had been.
How we spend your money
For every £1 you donate to this appeal, we will allocate 25p of your donation to cover general support and running costs. There is a small chance that we will raise more money than is needed for this appeal. If this happens, we'll spend any additional funds on other International Needs projects – wherever the need is greatest.
project updates
November 12th 2026