Lack of sanitation is one of the biggest health challenges facing rural Ugandan villagers – in many of our ‘Healthy Villages’ less than half of all households have latrines. Diarrheal diseases, which are most often caused by unclean water and bad sanitation , cause 18% of all deaths of Ugandan children under five (World Health Organization).

Uganda Village Project is working in partnership with the government and with our village communities to improve sanitation in rural villages.  Uganda Village Project works with the Village Health Team, a group of motivated community members, and ensures that these team members are model households for sanitation improvements as the campaign starts. Then, over a span of three months, we periodically organize grassroots groups of students, Village Health Team members, local government officials, and UVP staff to walk from house to house, digging latrines, constructing plate stands, and creating tippy taps for hand washing. The community does this all with their own hands and a lot of community support and spirit!

It only costs a few dollars to put these improvements together, and by the end of the campaign, we’ve created an incredible amount of motivation throughout the community to re-dedicate themselves to sanitation improvements, and our teams have taught many families how to construct these improvements themselves.  Just $40 is enough to equip 20 households with tippy taps – a homemade handwashing device that can save lives and prevent disease – as well as provide vital sanitation education.

Don’t want to donate online? Send a check made out to “Uganda Village Project” to Uganda Village Project, C/o Andrew Lowe, 2632 42nd Ave West, Seattle, WA 98199.