Let’s play a little game.
Go to your sink. Turn the faucet on. Fill a glass.
Now imagine if you had to walk six kilometers (about 3.7 miles) just to make that glass of water happen. Not once, but several times a day.
That’s the reality for many people in northern rural Uganda. But thanks to your steps—yep, you, the one who walked the Walk for Women 6K this spring—1800 people no longer have to make that daily trek.
In June, Field of Hope completed a deep borehole well project in Alebtong District, Uganda. And the story of how it came to be is one of generosity, grit, and gallons—lots of them.
Back in May, 127 of you laced up your shoes and hit your sidewalks, trails, and treadmills to stand in solidarity with the women who walk each day for water. Together, you raised $56,684—not just with your feet, but with your hearts, your voices, and your social media feeds.
That walk turned into a fully completed borehole that now connects three villages, bringing clean water to more than 1800 people. For some, that means drinking water that’s safer and more reliable. For others—like one woman who used to have to pay young girls to gather water because of physical limitations—it means saving the income she works so hard to earn, and gaining a new sense of independence.
The average American uses almost 100 gallons of water per day. In Alebtong, before this borehole? Some families were using just a few liters,
rationed carefully between drinking, cooking, washing, and farming.
With this new well, life looks different. Girls have more time for school. Mothers are safer walking shorter distances. The clean water from this well will reduce waterborne illness and will improve crop irrigation. It is this kind of project that will ripple for generations.
While the borehole is a huge step forward, we’re not done. Field of Hope is working on a WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) curriculum to build on this infrastructure with education that changes behaviors and deepens impact. Think about: lessons on safe storage, hygiene habits, and community care of shared water points.
Plus, we’re already dreaming about future well projects—because no one should have to choose between water and safety, water and school, water and work.
Whether you walked 6K, donated, or simply cheered someone on, know this: you were part of something transformational.
Water is life. And because of you, water is flowing in the Alebtong District.
Olivia Murphy-Sweet, Executive Director, Field of Hope
