Clean Water and Aids Orphans in Uganda

From the Saturday, November 24, 2007, Toronto Star, page AA3, an article about providing clean water and sanitation in Uganda:

CLEAN-WATER PROJECT HELPS ORPHANS

Kampala - Nakayima Nassolo watched her four children die from AIDS and now at 80 years old she is raising 16 grandchildren.

"I love all my grandchildren," said Nassolo, which is referred to as a princess because she was considered royalty in her Muganda clan.

"It's unfortunate I have had to experience AIDS in my family," she said through an interpreter.

While Nassolo's story of caring for children aged 4 to 17 is dramatic, many grandmothers are finding themselves in this position because AIDS kills some 6,000 people each day in Africa - more than wars, famines and floods.

But Canada, in part, has ridden to her rescue with money for running water and a sanitary sewage system, both of which she was more than happy to show off to two visiting Canadian politicians - Conservative MPs Rahim Jaffer (Edmonton-Strathcona) and Helena Guergis (Simcoe-Grey), who is also the junior foreign affairs minister.

"I don't know about the rest of you but this is a very emotional experience," said Guergis.

Ugandan-born Jaffer and Guergis, who are engaged, are part of the Canadian delegation attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting here.

The aid money for Nassolo came from the African Medical and Research Foundation, which receives $2 million annually. Among other things, the non-governmental agency focuses on safe water and sanitation. It also provided money for an improved sanitation system at a nearby school, Little Stars, where children sang with enthusiasm about hygiene.

"These sorts of things that seem so small to Canadians ... are so huge here for people and the quality of their lives. Just to see that should make everyone very happy," Jaffer said.

The foundation's Joshua Kyallo said in a slum area, poor hygiene and lack of sanitation can result in the outbreak of diseases that are water-borne - such as dysentery or cholera.
- Richard Brennan