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How a Young Family Became Entrepreneurs in Uganda
When Barbara thinks of her daughter, she thinks of potential. Hope rises in her chest at the sight of her one year old, and she can see a future she only ever dreamed of having.
Barbara, Fred, and their daughter, Musiimenta, live in Kalele village. For over 200 people in the rural Ugandan community, business, health, and hope are on the rise. More children than ever before are attending school; they’re finally healthy enough to attend, and their parents have the income to pay for school books, lunches, and uniforms.
But, it wasn’t always this way. For years, families drew water from a large pond many miles away. They were financially and physically drained from waterborne illnesses. Without latrines of their own, everyone used the bathroom in the open, creating an unsafe environment.
“When I first came here… we were all getting by day by day; the change in mindset is perhaps the most important transformation I have seen.” – Barbara
The region where Kalele village is located is called Kakumiro, and it’s known among water well drillers for its poor access roads and limited groundwater. Barbara and her neighbors knew that getting safe water would be a challenge.
In May of 2020, after over a year of strategic planning for Kalele village’s water source, Lifewater finished construction on a safe drinking water well. With planned maintenance, it will last for generations.
Plus, Lifewater health promoters ensured that the community adopted life-saving health practices like hand washing, using a bathroom of their own rather than going outside, and more.
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“My children will grow up in a much better and more transformed village,” Barbara said. “Diseases that made it impossible for children to stay healthy and go to school are now a thing of the past, and my daughter will do whatever she wants in life.”
“As a parent, nothing gives me so much joy,” she added.
Since Barbara and her family received safe water and adopted health practices, they are saving money each month on health care costs. They’re also saving hours each day, since they no longer walk for water.
Barbara owns a market in Kalele village, and she’s started selling jerry cans and other retail items; business is booming!
“I used to trade just for survival,” she said. “Now I trade to grow and prosper.”
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The farm that she and her husband own has tripled in revenue since the new water source and healthy habits started transforming the community. She and Fred are buying more land and even hiring their own employees to work on the farm.
“The biggest revelation for me is how driven I am as an entrepreneur,” she added. “You can say I found myself and I love it.”
Barbara and her husband plan to have more children in the future. For now, they are building their lives and establishing a firm foundation for which to raise their family. According to them, all of their children will go to universities.
Barbara prays that they will become nurses and doctors and that they will return to serve communities just like theirs.
“When I first came here, no one was thinking long-term,” Barbara said. “We were all getting by day by day; the change in mindset is perhaps the most important transformation I have seen.”
“People now think long term and want to better their lives and that of their children to leave society a better place than they found it,” she added.
Transformation like this is possible in communities all over the world. For over 40 years, Lifewater has helped generous donors connect with families in need of safe water, improved health, and the hope of Jesus. Make a lasting change today.