In northern Uganda, dozens of artesian wells bring water bubbling up to the surface of the ground.
The wells are a ready supply of water for the people who live nearby. But they're shallow, forcing people to painstakingly spoon up the water into a container. And often the water becomes contaminated from pooling on the ground.
A project by Medical Teams International is under way to change all of this.
For $1,100, the water from an artesian well can be diverted through a channel into a rock-lined pit, in which a pipe is then installed for delivering a steady stream of clean water.
At one of these natural faucets, a woman or a child can easily fill a jerry can with water in less than five minutes, said Dr. Jim Tiede, a retired internist from Spicer who recently spent almost a month in Uganda with Medical Teams International.
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"And it's pure," he said. "Each month they test the water."
Seven such wells have already been built, with separate areas for bathing and laundry. Nearly 70 more sites have been identified.
A local fund has been established to help raise money to continue this water project.
Tiede said donations can be sent to Vinje Lutheran Church, 1101 Willmar Ave. S.W., Willmar, MN 56201. Checks should be made out to Vinje Lutheran Church and marked for the Ugandan water project.
-- Anne Polta
