Bududa is a town and district in the East of Uganda, sometimes referred to as the “forgotten district”. Despite its fertile lands, it has one of the highest poverty rates in Uganda, with families facing an array of different challenges in their daily lives. The Anonymous Project has witnessed, first hand, the struggles that people are facing in Bududa, and it is these conditions that have driven both the need for intervention and the project we are now working towards completing.

The Struggles of Those Living in Poverty

Over 95% of the people here rely on subsistence farming, with very few having any other option for work. Families plant on small plots, meaning that their priority is growing food for survival. This leaves them a very limited capacity to grow any surplus for sale. The mountainous slopes make mechanised farming and machine access to fields impossible, so farming must be done by hand, with simple tools.

High Risk for Little Reward

Mount Elgon’s slopes, known for their beauty, make an unforgiving terrain to live and work upon. Landslides and floods are frequent occurrences in Bududa, with many people dying each year as a result of them. This extreme weather adds to the difficulty of farming by contributing to soil erosion and destroying crops and farmland. Although Ugandan coffee has a high export value, the farmers who produce it receive very little. This is unfortunate considering the hard work they invest in it and the challenges they must endure.

Many communities here take for granted hardships that we could not imagine, and for which there are simple solutions. Although The Anonymous Project cannot stop landslides from happening, we hope to provide them with one small luxury: accessible, clean water.

The Difficulties of Reaching Water in Bududa

Each day in Bududa, families begin their mornings with a long and exhausting journey. They must trek over steep hills and through dense forests for hours, just to reach their nearest source of clean water, something we often take for granted and that comes to us at the turn of a tap. But that is the easiest part of their journey. After the large containers of water are filled, they must be brought all the way back.

Sacrifices and Risks

The time it takes them to retrieve water is time that is taken away from school, work and family. But this journey is not only time consuming, but dangerous. To add to their hardship, the wildlife also poses a serious risk to their safety.  Uganda is home to venomous snakes, which are a particular problem in rural areas. The narrow dirt paths covered by vegetation and leaf litter can make snakes difficult to spot. In areas such as this, there is a high risk of accidentally stepping on a snake and receiving a deadly bite.

Our Plan of Action

The Anonymous Project is aware that the Ugandan government is reluctant to dedicate resources towards helping communities in Bududa, so we decided to step in and help. We began planning a way to bring clean and accessible water closer to home by building wells, eliminating the daily burden of fetching water. This was not an easy task. Bududa’s rugged landscape meant that transporting the machinery up there through mountainous terrain and forests, without any reliable infrastructure, was difficult. Aware of these challenges, we chose to move forward regardless and arranged for the machinery to reach the site.

Challenges in Providing Help

Although the machinery would make the digging of the wells a quick and easy process, there were delays in bringing it to the site. We were keen to make progress, so while waiting for the drilling rig to arrive, we began digging the wells manually, with what tools we had on hand.

From these photos, you can see that all our team members wear masks. This is because anonymity is an underpinning principle of the Anonymous Project. We believe that to help others without the expectation of public recognition is one of the sincerest forms of kindness. If you would like to learn more about our values and principles, this article covers them in greater detail.

Problems to Overcome

Unfortunately, while working on digging the two large holes that would soon become the wells, we encountered hard rock. The machinery for digging the wells was no longer a luxury to simply speed up the process, but a necessity. Without it, the rock would be impenetrable.

Thankfully, with much patience and perseverance, the machinery finally arrived, and the digging of the wells could continue. But just as we started making progress, we were reminded that no project is without setbacks. The machines broke, forcing work to grind to a halt once again.

Current Situation

Despite every setback, The Anonymous Project has not abandoned the task of digging these wells. As a charity, we remain committed to seeing them to completion. We know what these wells will mean for the people living in Bududa. It will mean that they no longer need to make this long and hazardous journey to provide their community with water. Children will be able to attend school instead of fetching water. People can spend this extra time tending to their farms, their greatest source of income. It will mean safer, cleaner water for families, which they can use to support the growth of their crops and livestock, providing them with greater food security and the opportunity for greater value from daily life.

The Continued Need for Support

We know acts of kindness that seem simple while planning can become complex when it comes to delivering on them. The search for clean water is not always as straightforward as digging a deep hole. Projects such as this can face unexpected setbacks along the way. That is why sustained, long-term support is so vital. It allows members of The Anonymous Project to continue working through difficulties, adapt to challenges as they arise, and ensure that reliable, life-changing support reaches the communities that need it most. With continued support, this project can be completed. The Anonymous Project is a charity made up of dedicated individuals committed to helping those who need it most. Every contribution helps provide people living in poverty and hardship with ways to overcome daily challenges.

If you would like to help The Anonymous Project see these wells to completion, please consider donating to our cause.