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Ugandan High Commissioner supports water project service

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 22 February 2002

The High Commissioner for Uganda, Professor George Kirya is helping to provide a life-giving water pump in Gulu, Northern Uganda, when he attends a south London service as guest of honour. The Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Rev Tom Butler will preside at the service at 4.00pm, Saturday 23 February at St Paul's Church, Lorrimore Square, Newington, London SE17.

The fundraising service has been arranged by the Vicar, Canon Grahame Shaw with local members of the Ugandan community, in support of the Bishop of Southwark's Lent Call for 2002. The project is to restore an efficient water supply for about 10,000 people in an area devastated by war, terrorism, AIDS and other diseases.

The Bishop's Lent Call invites churches and schools throughout south London and east Surrey to raise money during the six weeks of Lent, ending at Easter. There are five main projects, including the Gulu water pump, which will cost about £20-30,000.

The project is backed by the charities Christian Engineers in Development (CED) and Christian Outreach, Ministry and Education (COME (UK)).

For eleven years St Paul's Church has been a venue for memorial and funeral services, training days and cultural events for the Acholi, Lango and Teso communities. This occasion will serve to bring them together for a celebration as well as support the people of Northern Uganda.

The service will be attended by members of St Paul's Church, the Uganda community and other distinguished leaders and guests. It will be followed by a reception in the church hall.

FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROJECT:

Gulu is the principal town of Northern Uganda, the birthplace and childhood home of Archbishop Janani Luwum, martyred by the Amin regime in 1977. Like other parts of Uganda, Gulu has suffered from AIDS and major security problems, made worse by the deteriorating situations in the Congo to the west and the Sudan in the north.

Many of the people from surrounding villages have had to seek shelter in makeshift camps around Gulu. Rebel bands have killed some and forced others, many mere children, to join them in acts of terrorism. Less than a year ago, an outbreak of Ebola disease killed 200 people. Gulu's population is difficult to estimate, but may be over 100,000. Approximately half are under 7 years old, many are displaced as orphans and few are employed.

This project is to restore a pumped water supply (destroyed by the war) to the St Philip's Cathedral Compound. The compound houses about 800 clergy, schoolteachers and healthworkers with their families and is the main provider of education and welfare services in the area. Around 5,000 schoolchildren attend most days; about another 1000 families live within a kilometre and depend on the compound for their water supply.

The compound covers about 100 hectares. Water used to be pumped from a well to an elevated tank for distribution, but damage has rendered the pump useless and the system lies idle. There is another smaller well still operating and a connection from the town mains, but both these sources are heavily overworked and unreliable. The total population relying on the water source is approximately 10,000 people.

Christian Engineers in Development (CED) - A UK charity founded in 1985 to enable Christian engineers to help the poor and support each other. CED has worked worldwide and has been active since 1994 in Uganda where water supplies for communities of up to 20,000 people have been installed or improved.

Christian Outreach, Ministry & Education (COME) - Also founded in 1985, works in Northern Uganda to provide literacy, evangelism, healthcare and agricultural services in and around Gulu, with emphasis on women, children, youth and the handicapped. COME (UK) raises financial and technical support from its base at St Peter's Church, Norbiton.

Diocesan Communications Officer
Tel: 020-7939 9400
Mobile: 07831-694021
Fax: 020-7939 9468