The suburb of Iryaravumba (population 1,384) in the village of Rubuguri, lies close to Bwindi Forest, famous for its Mountain Gorilla population. Iryaravumba is home to a school which serves over 800 pupils. The borehole water pump is on the site of the brand new eye hospital that has been funded by the church that is situated on a hill above the hospital.
Without the new well the community has had to rely on harvested rainwater from the tin roofs and the river which is some distance away and polluted by animal waste and farming silage. Neither of these sources is particularly clean and local health has been suffering for a long time.
Access to clean water will be truly game-changing for the community, and it is summed up neatly by Ngabirano Justus, who is Co-ordinating the project, when he says ‘clean water is life’. Both the Church Pastor and the Head Teacher of the school expressed their delight at the development describing it as a ‘huge blessing’.
The work is funded by Opportunity to Hope (O2H) and is undertaken in tribute to Sheila and Jim Martin, who supported the community over many years, helping to raise funds for multiple projects that have brought about huge improvements to local lives, undertaken by their son, Neil and his wife, Pam.
Sadly Sheila passed away in January, just a week short of her 90th birthday and Jim is currently in a Nursing Home where he struggles with many health issues.
