Update: Industrial Sprinkler System Installed
How a community in Eastern Uganda is fighting water droughts caused by low rainfall through community-funded action
The Liger donates $500 to the Buwanga: Way to Health Foundation for an industrial sprinkler system
First off, thank you all so much. Since its launch in 2023, The Liger has grown steadily and is currently approaching 700 subscribers (an additional 350 subscribers since 2024). Support from our paid readers made a significant impact this year.
Let’s talk about it…
Rainfall Variability and Crop Water Stress in Manafwa, Uganda
Manafwa is in Eastern Uganda on the slopes of Mount Elgon with a tropical, bimodal rainfall pattern: two rainy seasons (roughly March–June and August–November) and two drier spells (mid-year and late year). Although the land is lush green, it doesn’t mean crops survive the drier spells. Crops in this district heavily rely on rainfall; when seasonal rains are delayed or below expectations (expected rainfall averages ~1,500 mm), farmers experience water stress.
The Buwanga Way to Health Foundation manages plots of agricultural land that intercrops coffee and bananas. The younger banana plants are susceptible to dry spells, and rely on supplemental irrigation to survive. The water for irrigation is provided by a borehole, a deep narrow hole drilled into the ground that reaches groundwater stored in aquifiers. Once drilled, a pump is installed so water is surfaced for crop irrigation. The borehole was provided and funded by David and Julie, longtime supporters and friends of Wefwafwa Andrew from the United Kingdom. David passed away in 2025 and is remembered with a commemorative plaque at the borehole site.
Deep Borehole Drinking Water Supply for Irrigation
For this specific project, the borehole is used to pump fresh drinking water into water towers that feed water tanks used for crop irrigation. The borehole provides uncontaminated drinking water drawn from deep underground (approximately ~70 meters). It is equivalent to a 20-story building extending underground, far below surface soils and shallow wells.
The borehole also supplies a new addition to the land: a $1,000 industrial sprinkler system funded by our newsletter ($500) and a generous $500 donation from Wefwafwa supporter Larry Cane. The sprinkler system was successfully installed, and provides fresh irrigation water to the surrounding coffee and banana plants. As Uganda’s weather changes in 2026 continue to show seasonal variability in rainfall and temperature, these subscriber funded projects help the community cope with water shortages and move toward long-term self-sustainability.
Wefwafwa Borehole Irrigation Project Update — December 2025
As of December 2025, Dr. John Campbell, Sean, and Julie are with Wefwafwa in Uganda. Watch the video below to learn more and hear Wefwafwa Andrew discuss the borehole, banana plants, coffee plants, and sprinkler system.
The Liger is a Newsletter that connects you with the personal experience of a medical clinical officer in Uganda building a self-sustainable community.