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Protect drinking water for families like Maria's

December 10, 2025

“We misused the wetland. We didn’t realise we were destroying it.”

UGANDA – The end of the year is a time to reflect on what we have, what we share and what cannot be taken for granted. Even though the weather here is becoming more extreme, clean drinking water remains a certainty for us. For Maria from Uganda, this was not the case for many years. Until Join For Water and its partners, with the support of people like you, brought about change.

Maria Kobusingye lives with her husband Lawrencio and their youngest son Barnabas in Kagorogoro, in the hills around Fort Portal in Western Uganda. Their home is on the edge of a wetland, a marshy area that has nourished their lives and those of dozens of other families for generations. They grow their own food there and depend on water that comes directly from nature. The wetland is necessary for agriculture, purifies water, maintains it during droughts, and provides protection during heavy rains and floods.

“We were using the wetland incorrectly. We didn’t know we were destroying it.” – Maria

 

When wetlands disappear, safe water disappears

Like many families, Maria did not know enough about the vulnerability of wetlands. The wetland became polluted. There were no toilets, agricultural activities put pressure on nature, and waste ended up in the water. The result: polluted drinking water. Their son Barnabas fell ill and medical care was almost unaffordable.

👉 This year-end, you can help families like Maria’s. Protect the wetlands around Fort Portal and give them access to safe water. Donate today.

Read more below the photos.

Change through education and cooperation

Change came thanks to the education centre that Join For Water set up together with local partners. At this centre, families learn how wetlands work, why they are so crucial for drinking water and biodiversity, and what simple actions they can take themselves to protect the wetland.

Today, the outlook is better for Maria and her family. They are taking measures themselves, such as planting fruit trees that have less impact on the soil. Selling the harvest also provides the family with a more stable income.

Read more below the photos.

How sustainable beekeeping is breathing new life into the wetland

Fred is also committed to restoring the wetlands in the neighbouring village. He took a course in sustainable beekeeping. His bees help pollinate fruit trees like those belonging to Maria and Lawrencio, and the honey he harvests provides him with a fair income.

Beekeeping is one of the eco-friendly alternatives to agriculture that families in the region are learning about through the education centre. Like fruit growing and reforestation, it offers a way to make a living from the land without damaging the wetland. In this way, residents strengthen each other and the ecosystem on which they depend.

Protecting wetlands = protecting lives

Maria has been helped, but there are still so many wetlands that are disappearing or becoming polluted. If we do not protect them, countless families will lose their drinking water and their future. With your support, we protect vulnerable wetlands, build water treatment plants and provide education on sustainable water use. Make a donation today.

Read more below the video. Maria testifies from 0:14.

What your donation means

  • € 50 = You protect 40 m² of vulnerable wetland nature.
  • € 80 = You support the construction and management of the information centre where local families learn about the importance of wetlands and how to use them properly.
  • € 120 = You help expand the drinking water supply so that more families have access to safe water.

 

Give the best end-of-year gift: a future with clean water

➡️ Make an online donation today or transfer your donation to: BE22 5230 8036 1747 with reference JFW78

➡️ Don’t forget to provide your national registration number for the tax certificate. Donations of €40 or more will remain tax-deductible in 2026.

 

Your support strengthens water security in Fort Portal

The central drinking water network does not reach the rural areas around Fort Portal. That is why Join For Water wants to expand the existing communal water system:

  • more connections for households
  • more storage capacity for water from the wetlands
  • giving more people access to safe, purified water

 

At the same time, Join For Water and its partners are investing in:

  • the protection of 18 hectares of wetlands (25 football pitches)
  • training in sustainable water use and agriculture
  • ecological alternatives such as beekeeping and fruit growing (forestry or agroforestry)
  • strengthening local knowledge and governance through community building and education

 

Would you like to know more about our programme in Uganda?

Join For Water and its partners are not only actively involved in the wetlands, but also influence government policy. Read more about this at Protecting wetlands is a must | Join For Water and Wetlands play a key role in climate regulation | Join For Water

 

Help protect wetland nature

👉 Donate today and protect the wetlands that save lives. With your donation, you will be supporting both vulnerable nature in Uganda and the families who depend on it. This will ensure that families like Maria's will continue to have access to clean water tomorrow. Thank you for making a difference where water is not a given.

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