There’s a lot of behind the scenes work that needs to happen for the water to flow at Nakivale Refugee Settlement – fixing pipes, pumping water from the lake, and treating it with chemicals that make it safe to drink.
The water treatment teams who purify the water sometimes have the toughest job – they deal with harsh chemicals that can be harmful if they’re not careful.
“These guys work really hard, some of them for over a decade,” said Andrew, our Operations Officer at Nakivale. “They’re the guys who do most of the work here – and sometimes it’s a huge challenge.”
For Day 339, we’re thanking the water operators who are key to getting lifesaving, clean, and safe drinking water to people at Nakivale – by getting them new protective boots!
We headed to the water station where the treatment teams work, 42 pairs of heavy duty gum boots in hand.
They gathered round, eyeing the overstuffed gift bags warily – it’s tricky to gift wrap gum boots, it turns out!
But when they realized that we were there only to thank them, and that the bags were filled with boots, smiles and laughter were all around.
Everyone grabbed their new boots, found their size, pulled them on, and tested them out. One guy even plunged his feet into one of the reservoirs – and his socks stayed dry, no water leakage there!
“We want to acknowledge all their hard work,” said Andrew. “When support comes like this, they feel like they’re really valued. They’re happy.”
Gum boots may seem simple. But for these hardworking guys, a simple thank you can mean the world.
