Fundraising Dinner Helps Supply Clean Drinking Water for Ugandans
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Prince George, B.C. – The seventh annual Northern Uganda Development Foundation (NUDF) Fundraising Dinner and Silent Auction goes tonight at the Columbus Community Centre in Lower College Heights.
The theme of this year’s event is ‘Empowering Women: Income, Opportunities and Water Wells’ and will showcase the foundation’s accomplishments which includes the completion of 80 water wells for the supply of safe and clean drinking water to over 120,000 people in Northern Uganda.
The event is organized by Dr. Chris Opio, an ecosystem science and management professor at UNBC, and it’s an issue close to his heart.
You see Opio grew up amidst the poverty of Uganda and lived without clean water growing up.
“I left Uganda in 1982 and when I lived there, I was drinking dirty water with my siblings and so on. And one of my siblings (a younger brother) we believed got sick because of drinking that water.”
He says the water is contaminated with E. Coli and other bacteria which can lead to neurological disorders or in the case of his younger brother, death. He notes it’s motivated him to help change things.
“There are still a lot of people suffering because of drinking that water so when I came to Canada I promised myself, enough is enough, I’ll do something once I’m established here,” says Opio. “Try to help people by providing safe, clean drinking water. This water issue is part of my DNA, just trying to help people.”
Also at tonight’s dinner he will introduce a tree nursery project that produces tree seedlings to the people of Uganda for environmental conservation, income, building materials, and energy sources.
“So I see this as a win win – we will be helping the environment and also be able to build more water wells.”
Tickets cost $40 and can be purchased at Books and Company, Ava Maria stories, by calling 250-964-8997 or at the door.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
Comments
Okay great but there are areas in Canada with drinking water issues.
Obviously we have lots of people with drinking water issues even in Prince George.
Why else would stores be selling bottled water?
Not to forget about fluoride. That was a major issue for some and the absence of it being added may be a major issue for others now.
Drinking bottled water seems to be a fad. I don’t think it is a clear indicator of people’s attitude toward tap water. Bottled water is chic, and a lot of people seem to be too lazy to fill a water bottle from the tap.
There are, mostly reserves. Isn’t it shameful that a first world country like ours still has such issues?
Have a look at what the fossils are doing to Alberta’s water . That Alberta beef that Earls tried to stop selling . It may just be full of uranium . Read about it at the tyee . Top story this morning . Am I ever glad I stopped eating cows two decades ago . And I thought the risk of BSE was too high . Anything grown in Alberta is off my menu forever .
You do realise rivers, streams where running through the oil sands before development. You really should educate yourself on the area before flapping your fingers Neil Young.
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