This May, I will have the privilege of being in Uganda, walking alongside women to understand what six kilometers really feels like — not as a symbolic distance, but as a daily reality for women in northern Uganda who walk to collect water for their homes.
For many women in this region, the day begins long before sunrise. With jerry cans in hand, they make the long, quiet journey to collect water, often from sources that are unreliable, unsafe, or shared with livestock. It is physically demanding and time-consuming, taking hours each day and limiting the time they can spend at home, at school, or working.
But because of this Field of Hope community, and the partners we serve alongside, that story is changing.
In 2026, Field of Hope completed seven deep borehole wells across northern Uganda, bringing clean, reliable water closer to home for thousands of families.
These wells, located in the Dokolo, Amolatar, Kole, Oyam, Kwania, and Lira districts, now serve nearly 20,000 people. That means families no longer have to depend on unsafe water sources, children can spend more time in school instead of carrying water, and entire communities are healthier as a result.
This is why I walk in the Walk for Women 6K each year. It invites people from all over to step into this story and take part in something that creates real, lasting change.
On May 23, I will walk alongside women in Uganda. Together, we will gather jerry cans, walk to a water source, and carry water back to the village — just as they do every day.
Every step we take will be together. Clean water does more than improve health. It restores time, creates opportunity, and opens doors for education, especially for young girls.
And there are still villages waiting.
So this May, we walk again.
Olivia Murphy-Sweet, Executive Director
