Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) has commissioned nine boreholes in Kumi and Apac districts, providing safe and clean water to more than 5,000 residents.
The project, part of UBL’s Water for Life sustainability program, saw five boreholes established in Kumi District—benefiting Apuda, Kabwangasi, Kapasak, Oseera, and Acera villages—and four in Apac District serving Ayago Central, Amitenge/Omele, Iwal Village, and Baralop Cell.
The commissioning ceremony took place at Kapasak Village in Ongino Sub-County, Kumi District. Officials said the project will ease access to water in communities where residents previously walked an average of 3.5 kilometres to reach the nearest source.
“Water is our most important ingredient, but also a precious shared resource under increasing pressure,” said Sheila Sabune, UBL’s Corporate Relations Director. “Through our Water for Life program, we are addressing a fundamental human need that impacts education, health, and economic opportunities for entire communities.”
Sabune noted that UBL has invested over shs 5 billion in water projects in the past five years, targeting water-stressed areas where the burden of collection has long fallen on women and children.
Okaasai Opolot, MP for Kumi and Minister of State for Energy, praised the initiative, describing it as transformative for local livelihoods. “Before these boreholes, women and children spent hours walking long distances for unsafe water. Today, they can focus on education and productive work,” he said.
As part of the launch, UBL also distributed farming inputs including gumboots, tarpaulins, and 1,200 kilograms of quality sorghum seed to 200 farmers, reinforcing the company’s integrated approach to community development.
UBL has for more than a decade invested at least shs 1 billion annually in water projects. The new facilities align with the Ministry of Water and Environment’s target to ensure every Ugandan can access safe water within a one-kilometre radius.
