by Bea Peterson
James Harrington, Director of the Ugandan Water Project, had the Hoosick Falls Elementary School students singing and dancing on Monday morning, November 28. They were dancing to African music and singing a few Ugandan words to go with the music. They were excited to learn about another culture, another country. They were also astounded to learn that in Uganda many girls their age don’t go to school because they have to walk three to five miles twice a day to get water for their families. They let out a collective yuck when they saw in the visual presentation what passes for drinking water in Uganda. They agreed with Harrington that the water source looked like a big mud puddle.
Worldwide six thousand people a day die from consuming contaminated drinking water.
In Uganda, which has an annual rainfall of more than 80 inches, a simple solution is rain water collection storage tanks. One 2,500 gallon tank can provide enough safe drinking water for 100 families. That tank will last 35 years.
The tank costs $3,500. Harrington challenged the students to help raise the funds for one storage tank. The students accepted the challenge. Harrington told them, “You are absolutely amazing, and you can change the world!”
Elementary School Principal Pat Dailey is extremely enthusiastic about this project, which will run from January through May. He envisions a “Hat Day” fund-raiser, a raffle and other events that will take place once a month.
School Not Alone
This is not just an Elementary School project. This is a community project. Gail Smith of the Hoosick Falls Community Alliance Church will be coordinating events to be held during those five months throughout the Town of Hoosick. The Ugandan Water Project is sure to be the talk of the Town from now through May.