Meet Jessica
Jessica is 85 and lives with Parkinson’s disease. Her hands tremble, and even sitting upright is a challenge. Despite this, she has been left to care for her grandchildren, and four of them are now sponsored through International Needs, bringing much-needed hope and support to her home. For years, she had no choice but to walk to a contaminated stream to collect water. She could not lift a container and moved slowly with a stick for support, making each trip painful and dangerous.
When our team visited during the Uganda Discovery Trip, Jessica cried tears of joy. She said she never imagined that people so far away would care enough to come and see her. Today, thanks to the WASH Project, Jessica’s life looks very different. She now has a home toilet, a safe water tank beside her house, and she no longer depends on others for water. She told us that having a proper latrine has not only made her life easier, but has also given her dignity and even prestige in her community.
With deep gratitude, Jessica offered a message for supporters: “I am helpless, but I would buy you a very big gift. Since I can’t, it is my prayer that God blesses you and gives you a long life.”
Why Your Help Matters
Clean water, safe sanitation, and hygiene education help prevent disease, keep children in school, and give families the dignity of a healthier future.
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The Reality
4,500+ children die each year from preventable water-related diseases
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36% of households rely on unsafe water
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Only 45% of families regularly wash hands
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Sanitation coverage is just 37.5%
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Women, children, and elderly people walk long distances each day to collect water
Why Your Help is Urgent
WASH I and II brought life-changing improvements to many villages in rural Uganda, but some still have critical gaps in access to safe water, toilets, and basic hygiene systems. WASH III will return to nine of these villages to mend the remaining gaps and complete the work already begun.*
As part of this next phase, WASH III will carry out essential interventions such as repairing boreholes, improving school sanitation, installing rainwater tanks, delivering community health sessions, training student Water Ambassadors, providing reusable sanitary pads for girls, training and equipping pump mechanics, repairing natural springs, and more.
WASH III will run over a 3-year period (beginning in 2026 and running through to 2028). Some interventions linked to the donor gift options will take place at different stages throughout this timeline. This project is led by International Needs UK, with partners across the International Needs network — including us here in New Zealand.
We at INNZ have been invited to help support vital WASH work in two villages: Bufumbe and Wankwale — which are still urgently waiting for help.
For this appeal, we have identified four powerful interventions you can directly contribute to, each creating long-term impact for families, communities, schools, and entire villages.
Clean water means health, safety, dignity, and children staying in school. It turns daily survival into long-term possibility.
*WASH: Water, Hygiene and Sanitation.
Help us finish what’s been started
We’ve reached our $40,000 Year One goal — thank you! But WASH III runs over three years, and families are still waiting. Your gift today will help fund the next phase of safe water and sanitation work in Uganda.
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Our Goals
Increase access to safe water from 64% → 79%
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Achieve 100% handwashing adoption
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Improve sanitation coverage across all nine villages
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Strengthen community-led water management systems
Four Impact Themes
(Your Gift Options)
1. What CLEAN WATER means for a FAMILY
Dignity • Safety • Health • Independence
Gift: NZD 50 – helps give a family access to safe, clean water.
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This is done by drilling new boreholes and repairing existing ones, each providing clean water for up to 80 families.
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Ensures communities have sufficient, nearby water, reducing illness caused by contaminated sources
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Saves time and energy previously spent collecting water, freeing families to focus on work, school, and home life
2. What WASH EDUCATION means for a COMMUNITY
Knowledge • Prevention • Healthier Households • Empowered Choices
Gift: NZD 100 – helps deliver one community health session.
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Delivered by the WASH team in collaboration with the local District Health Office and the IN Uganda Health Clinic
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Families receive practical hygiene education on good health practices, clean households, and preventing waterborne diseases
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Sessions also include vital health information on STDs and HIV/AIDS, along with health testing, immunisations, and, where appropriate, the distribution of deworming medication for school children.
3. What CLEAN WATER means for the future of a VILLAGE
Local Ownership • Long-Term Sustainability • Reliable Water Systems
Gift: NZD 250 – helps equip and train a village pump mechanic to keep water flowing.
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When a borehole is drilled, a local WASH Committee is formed with members from the village
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One member receives tools and specialized training to become a local pump mechanic
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Repairs and maintenance can be done locally, ensuring long-term water access
4. What SAFE SANITATION means for a SCHOOL
Health • Dignity • Attendance • Confidence
Gift: NZD 500 – helps build a block of latrines for a school.
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Supports the construction of a block of six ventilation-improved pit latrines, typically three for boys and three for girls
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Facilities may include disability-accessible cubicles, urinals, and in some schools, a changing or wash room for girls
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Safe, private sanitation helps children stay healthy, attend school regularly, and learn with confidence
Donate to Uganda Wash Appeal
If you would prefer to donate via Online Banking, you can use the details below:
Account Name: International Needs New Zealand
Account Number: 02-0432-0234652-00
Payee Particulars: Your surname & initials
Payee Code: Uganda WASH
Payee Reference: Your Donor ID # (if known)
If you have any questions, please call us on 0800 463 337 or email accounts@innz.org.nz
Business Partner Opportunities
For New Zealand businesses in the water industry
We’re inviting New Zealand businesses working in water, plumbing, drilling, sanitation, and related industries to partner with us in transforming access to clean water in rural Uganda. By becoming a Clean Water Partner, your business helps strengthen long-term water systems while making a meaningful difference for families and communities.
Bronze Clean Water Partner — NZD 7,500
Build a block of latrines for a school, church, or community centre in rural Uganda.
Supports the construction of a six-cubicle, ventilation-improved latrine block—providing safe, private sanitation that helps children stay healthy, attend school, and learn with confidence.
Silver Clean Water Partner — NZD 20,500
Drill a new borehole in rural Uganda.
Provides a new borehole that gives at least 80 families long-term access to safe, clean water close to home.
Gold Clean Water Partner — NZD 100,000
Support a whole village in rural Uganda with clean water.
Supports a whole village in rural Uganda through a comprehensive WASH programme, including clean water infrastructure, safe sanitation, hygiene education, and local training for lasting impact.
Some benefits of becoming a Clean Water Partner:
- Permission to display the INNZ Water Partner badge on your website and communications
- Recognition on the INNZ website and in selected communications
- Opportunities for deeper engagement, including team-building experiences by visiting project sites in Uganda and seeing the impact firsthand
If your business is interested or would like to learn more, please contact: marketing@innz.org.nz