Clean Water, Shared Commitment: A New Chapter for Namengo Health Center

In Namengo, Budaka District, Uganda, a quiet but critical project has just been completed – one that's transforming health and safety for thousands through heartfelt collaboration and innovation.

At the heart of this change is the St. Francis Health Center III, a lifeline for over 5,000 community members, many of whom rely on its services during life’s most vulnerable moments—childbirth, childhood illness, and critical medical emergencies. Yet for years, this vital facility has battled a fundamental challenge: lack of reliable water and adequate sanitation.

Without a consistent water source, essential care has been jeopardized. Patients in the Maternity and Children’s Wards, lab technicians, and the surrounding community have all faced increased risks of infection and disease. Healthcare staff—already stretched thin—have been forced to ration resources and navigate the daily stress of working without basic WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) services.

But just last month, water began flowing at St. Francis Health Center.

A Holistic Solution, A Collaborative Effort

The project delivers a comprehensive upgrade:

• An 80,000-liter underground rainwater tank
  
  
• A 5,000-liter elevated supply tank serving the Maternity Ward and Outpatient Department
  
  
• A solar-powered pump enabling constant water access

With this system, more than 650 people per week now benefit from safer care, improved sanitation, and reliable access to clean water—right when they need it most.

Impact Powered by New Partnerships

Unlike many of our projects which are often fundraised for by our chapters, this one came to life thanks to a uniquely diverse group of supporters—from local leadership in Uganda to EWB-USA & EWB-East Africa’s global team of engineers, from a private family foundation in Maryland to a community congregation in Georgia.

FlatRock AME Church in Fayetteville, GA raised over $10,000 in support of the effort through grassroots fundraising among their congregation. One of their members, Sheila Newton, recently traveled to Uganda with her husband to be part of the well opening and reflected on the experience:

“It makes it even more meaningful that the need was there, and we wanted to do something, especially nice for the community so that people could have better living conditions, better means for being cared for in a hospital setting.”

Regarding FlatRock AME Church’s motivation to raise money for this project, Sheila went on to say that “we wanted to help bring water to a community in Uganda… low and behold, I did not learn until today, that Namengo was outreaching along the same time that we were thinking of bringing this to life as a church body, as a women’s missionary society. So it makes it even more meaningful that the need was there AND we wanted to do something.”

At Engineers Without Borders USA, we partner every day with communities working to meet critical infrastructure needs. Just as vital are the individuals and groups—like FlatRock AME Church—who are moved to give back. Whether through technical expertise or grassroots fundraising, we are proud to help connect those eager to make a difference with opportunities to drive real, lasting impact.

Katyaaba Ronald, Assistant Executive Secretary of the Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau, said about working with EWB-EA and EWB-USA,

“The key difference between EWB’s projects and others is the collaboration. You see everyone at the same table—the community members, the local leaders, the health facility leadership. That’s rare, and it works.”

Every Dollar Made a Difference

In addition to FlatRock’s generous support, a private family foundation quietly contributed $5,000—a gift that filled a critical funding gap and allowed the project to launch without delay. Together, these contributions enabled the full system to be built to scale, ensuring long-term sustainability.

A Safer Future Starts Here

Today, water flows at Namengo. The impact is already clear: patients are safer, staff are better supported, and the facility is no longer constrained by a lack of the most basic human need.

This project shows what’s possible when global expertise, local leadership, and diverse supporters come together with one goal: to build a more resilient, healthier future for all.