We recently spoke with Acts for Water CEO Jeffrey Golby to find out more about their charity that provides clean, sustainable water to people who earn less than a $1 a day in rural Uganda. If you are looking to support a local charity doing good, be sure to consider Acts for Water.
Describe your charity/non-profit in a few sentences.
Acts for Water believes that providing clean, accessible water is the best way to help a child transform their future, we’re focussed on being the best at just that. We’re a small Canadian team that partners with an all local Ugandan team to build the most drought resistant, sustainable water solutions in the world.
What problem does it aim to solve?
We’re focussed on providing clean, sustainable water to people who earn less than a $1 a day in rural Uganda. On average the people we serve will walk 6km to and from the swamp, multiple times a day to fetch dirty, disease filled water. This water will leave them sick, it will rob them of a chance for their kids to earn an education and it will keep the entire community trapped in a cycle of poverty. But with water, all of a sudden everything becomes possible.
When did you start/join it?
Acts for Water is one of Canada’s oldest clean water charities. We’ve been building clean, sustainable water solutions for over 30 years now! I joined as the CEO 4 years ago.
What made you want to get involved?
For me, it was seeing first hand the situation that people would live in without clean, safe water. My first trip, I met a young boy named Albert and I joined him on his long walk through the banana forrest down a hill back up a hill to a pool of water that cattle were drinking out of. We pushed the cattle aside, stepped around the cow feces, dipped our jerry cans in the puddle and waited for them to fill. As I waited I thought about my own kids, about how this water would be used and about the excruciating long walk back. It left me emotionally and physically exhausted. From that point on I’ve been deeply involved.
What was the situation like when you started?
We’ve seen well over 250 000 people receive clean, safe water: for life. Not just taps turning on in an instant, but water flowing from taps for 30+ years. It has changed everything. Where once communities were empty, schools open up, marketplaces start and women began to gain back some of their life. We see disease rates drop, enrolment go up and employment increase. We’re just wrapping up our largest single project ever of 17 000 people this fall. Once we’re done that, we’re beginning another project which will be even bigger at 20,000 people.
-How has it changed since?
What more needs to be done?
We’re so excited about the future for our organization, for our talented team in Uganda and for the communities we partner with. With COVID-19 the global community saw just how critical the need for clean, safe water really is. With the global warming crisis really evolving in new ways, people are seeing how vital sustainable, drought resistant water solutions are. This feels like our time. The need is great, but we believe we are equipped and ready to go. Each project we volunteer with over 400 local community volunteers, along with our local Uganda team and with your help we can make 2021 / 2022 a record shattering year.
How can our readers help?
Right now we are launching our “We [over]Come Together” Campaign where our community can empower a local family with clean water and more for life! This water will help transform them forever. They can do this in 2 ways: by giving, or by fundraising for us. All the details about this exciting campaign can be found at acts.ca/overcome
Where can we follow you?
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local charity that you love?
I love: http://www.youngfamilies.ca
They work with young dads and young moms as the name implies 🙂
