Kyamagemule Well

The roads to Kyamagemule have already been semi-adequately described as has the mission for providing a well for the people in this village. Now…drive well-drilling trucks and equipment up and down those roads and add the fact that it is the rainy season and add the fact that when working on such projects anything that can go wrong will. At one point the trucks were so stuck the drivers, along with Henry, spent the night leaning against the wall of one of very few shacks along the way. No food, no blankets.

The Indian well-drilling company offered two choices for contracting the work. Option 1: A larger sum for guaranteeing to reach water no matter how many locations they needed to drill. Option 2: One hole, 60 meters, no water=no well. Although the decision was agonizing, the reality was that Mercy Uganda did not have the funds for Option 1 and that the geological survey indicated the presence of water.

At 70 meters, the company decided to pack up and make the return trip. Enter Henry, the ultimate negotiator. 80 meters, 90 meters…a refusal to continue. Again, Henry convinced them to go just a bit further before giving up. After some very long and hard debates, they hit water at 101 meters (about 330 feet). Not only was there water but the pressure indicated five times what was necessary to feed this particular village.

Water samples were sent off for testing and returned positive. The village can consume the water produced by this well without health concerns.

Photo credits to Henry, I was not present for drilling.