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Wells of Life (WOL) is a non-profit organization whose aim is to provide rural Ugandans access to safe and clean water. Their primary methods include installing sustainable borehole water wells and educating local communities on sustainable hygiene and water supply practices. It was founded in 2008 and has funded over 1,300 wells,[1] primarily in the Mityana, Kassanda and Mubende regions of Uganda, all of which collectively serve more than 1,300,000 people. It is based in San Juan Capistrano, California and has built its headquarters in Mityana, Uganda. In 2018, Wells of Life founded its Irish counterpart, Wells of Life Ireland.[2]
Wells of Life was founded in 2008 by Nick Jordan, a real estate agent from Laguna Beach and a native of Ireland, who recognized the urgent need for clean water during a visit to Uganda. The organization constructed its first wells in February 2010 and was granted 501(c)(3) non-profit status in 2011.[3]
In 2015, Wells of Life was recognized as Forge54's sponsored non-profit of the year,[4] receiving services valued at $574,725 from nearly 100 volunteers[5] during Forge54's third annual 54-hour weekend volunteering marathon.[6]
In August 2016, Wells of Life initiated a partnership with the Christian East Africa Economic Development Trust (CEED).[7]
During the same month, Wells of Life purchased land in the Mubende region of Uganda to construct a 12,000-square-foot, $1 million headquarters.[9]
In May 2018, Wells of Life established its Irish counterpart, Wells of Life Ireland, based in Navan, County Meath.[2]
In 2019, Wells of Life launched Operation Restoration, a project aimed at rehabilitating non-functioning wells initially drilled by other organizations.[10]
In April 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wells of Life donated 10,000 bars of soap to local and national leaders in Uganda.[11]
In September 2020, Wells of Life founder Nick Jordan received the Pope John XXIII 2020 Humanitarian Award. The Italian Catholic Federation, which initiated the Pope Saint John XXIII Award in 1970, grants this honor as their highest recognition to a layperson of any denomination who demonstrates outstanding humanitarian service to society. Perry Shurko, the Italian Catholic Federation member who nominated Jordan, stated, “No human being should ever be deprived of these essentials, and I applaud Nick’s extraordinary efforts to save lives and provide greater opportunities for Uganda’s poorest communities.”[12]
In 2021 and 2022, Wells of Life hosted two of the top five galas in Orange County, as reported by the Orange County Business Journal, generating total net revenues of $1.81 million and $1.84 million, respectively.[13]
In August 2023, Wells of Life launched Project GreenWell to revolutionize water access and sustainability in rural Uganda. By becoming an Area Service Provider (ASP) for preventative maintenance of wells, they aimed to address the significant challenges current water management systems face and ensure the long-term functionality of rural water sources. An ASP is responsible for regular preventive maintenance and monitoring of wells, with any anomalies or issues being addressed within 24 hours. This approach, developed in collaboration with the Ugandan government and other organizations, aims to break the cycle of external donor dependency and foster sustainable water access.[14]
Partnerships
Wells of Life has a partnership with the Honorable Charles Peter Mayiga, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Buganda. During their March 2018 meeting, part of which aired on NTV Uganda,[15] Jordan and Mayiga discussed the consequences of inaccessible water in Uganda, as well as Jordan's goal of helping all of Uganda gain access to clean drinking water by 2038. Mayiga also sits on Wells of Life's Advisory Board, and in the summer of 2023 he visited their headquarters in California to thank them for the contribution they have made by bringing water to the people of Buganda.
Wells of Life partners with the Christian East Africa Economic Development Trust (CEED) to drill its wells. CEED is a US-based non-governmental organization that has employed local Ugandans to drill and repair wells for more than 20 years.[16] CEED is responsible for designing the sustainable well that Wells of Life places in villages.
In 2018, Austin Hedges, catcher for the San Diego Padres and a Wells of Life Ambassador,[17] partnered with Adam Wainwright's Big League Impact to raise funds for Wells of Life.[18] Hedges asked donors to pledge an amount per Padres win in the 2018 season, and pledged to match their donations up to $12,000.
In 2020, Wells of Life partnered with She for She, a Ugandan-based social enterprise that provides sustainable menstrual kits to young women in rural areas. Along with providing the students with menstrual kits, Wells of Life will also host an education session with male students targeted at helping reduce menstruation related bullying.
In July 2023, Wells of Life and Charity: water partnered to promote the sustainability of wells in Uganda's communities using water sensors. 50 sensors were donated by charity: water, so that Wells of Life can see the flow rate of each one of these wells, allowing them to quickly respond and fix problems as they arise and improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness of each well.
In September 2023, the Ugandan Water Project and Wells of Life joined together to deploy "mWater" water point mapping as part of the Rural and Urban Management Information System (RUMIS) pilot in Kabale District, Uganda as well as two additional districts: one in the Eastern Region and one in the Karamoja Region.[19]
In November of 2023, YouTuber MrBeast built 100 clean water wells in several different countries in Africa. Of those 100 wells, 30 of them were drilled by Wells of Life.[20]
Programs
We Drill Wells
As of September 2024, Wells of Life has funded the drilling of 908 new wells in Uganda, primarily in the Mityana, Kassanda and Mubende regions. Each new well costs $8,000, which includes drilling, maintenance, and repair costs.
The wells are personalized with plaques containing information about the well's donor. Donors have included celebrities, local organisations, and schools.[21][22][23] Wells have also been donated to mark special occasions,[24] and to honour individuals posthumously, such as Billy Graham,[25] the victims of the September 11 attacks,[26] and six Irish students who died in a balcony collapse in Berkeley, California in 2015.[27]
Operation Restoration
As of September 2024, Wells of Life has funded the restoration of 445 wells. Each restoration of a well costs $4,000, which includes, drilling, maintenance, and repair costs.[28]
Healthy Village
WASH (acronym for interrelated areas of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) was started in 2019. It was later renamed Healthy Village Program.
The program provides education and resources that encourage healthy sanitation and hygienic practices. The program implementation takes approximately 6 months in order to educate the community on how to build and use latrines, ending open defecation and thus eliminating fecal contamination.[29]
Water Warriors
Water Warriors is the name for the organisation's program of monthly giving to the charity.
Run4Water
Run4Water is a sponsored running event raising funds for the charity. Schools, churches, businesses & families have taken part. For the past 10 years, this event has brought clean water to over 300,000 people in rural Uganda. In 2024, it raised $200,000.[failed verification]
Legacy Circle
The Legacy Circle is a group of individuals who commit to five-year pledges to fund Wells of Life's operational costs. Currently, 78 donors have done so, totalling $3.7 million from 2022-2026.
In recent years, the annual Legacy Gala has made a significant impact, raising a combined total of $5,940,000 over the past four years.[when?]
Related Research Articles
Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the south by Tanzania. The southern part includes a substantial portion of Lake Victoria, shared with Kenya and Tanzania. Uganda is in the African Great Lakes region, it lies within the Nile basin, and has a varied equatorial climate. As of 2024, it has a population of over 49 million, of which 8.5 million live in the capital and largest city, Kampala.
Buganda is a Bantu kingdom within Uganda. The kingdom of the Baganda people, Buganda is the largest of the traditional kingdoms in present-day East Africa, consisting of Uganda's Central Region, including the Ugandan capital Kampala. The 14 million Baganda make up the largest Ugandan region, representing approximately 16% of Uganda's population.
WaterAid is an international non-governmental organization, focused on water, sanitation and hygiene. It was set up in 1981 as a response to the UN International Drinking Water decade (1981–1990). As of 2018, it was operating in 34 countries.
Mubende is a district in the Central Region of Uganda. The town of Mubende is the site of the district headquarters. The district was reduced in size in July 2005 with the creation of the Mityana District and reduced again in 2019 when Kassanda District was carved out of it.
The Conservative Party (CP) is a centre-right political party in Uganda. It is led by Ken Lukyamuzi.
The Anglican dioceses of Buganda are the Anglican presence in the Central Region, Uganda ; they are part of the Church of Uganda. The remaining dioceses of the Church are in the areas of Eastern Uganda, of Northern Uganda, of Ankole and Kigezi, and of Rwenzori.
The Ugandan water supply and sanitation sector made substantial progress in urban areas from the mid-1990s until at least 2006, with substantial increases in coverage as well as in operational and commercial performance. Sector reforms from 1998 to 2003 included the commercialization and modernization of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) operating in cities and larger towns, as well as decentralization and private sector participation in small towns.
Charity: water is a non-profit organization founded in 2006 that provides drinking water to people in developing nations. As of 2019, the organization has raised $370 million. According to the organization, by October 2024, it has funded more than 171,000 projects in 29 countries though it does not know how many of the projects are still functional.
Stanbic Bank Uganda Limited (SBU) is a commercial bank in Uganda and is licensed by the Bank of Uganda, the central bank and national banking regulator.
Mityana, is a town in the Central Region of Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative, and commercial center of Mityana District, as well as the location of the district headquarters.
Lake Wamala is a freshwater lake in Uganda. Its wetlands contain endangered species of birds and animals including the sitatunga. The lake is of traditional and cultural significance to the people of Buganda in Central Uganda.
Muteesa I Royal University (MRU) is a private university in Uganda. It was accredited by the Uganda National Council for Higher Education in 2007 and chartered in March 2024. In 2016, Justice Julia Sebutinde was installed as Chancellor of the University, replacing Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, the founding chancellor who became Visitor of the university.
Opportunity Bank Uganda Limited (OBUL), is a Tier II credit institution in Uganda. It was previously registered as a commercial bank by the Bank of Uganda, the central bank and national banking regulator. The institution received a commercial banking license on 25 September 2019.
Kyankwanzi District is the westernmost district in the Central Region of Uganda and Buganda Kingdom, bordering Bunyoro. The district headquarters are in Butemba Town.
Buloba is an urban area in Wakiso District in the Buganda Region of Uganda. The area is primarily a middle-class residential neighborhood.
Charles Peter Mayiga is a Ugandan lawyer, cultural leader and author and business man. He is the current Katikkiro of Buganda kingdom, a constitutional monarchy in present-day Uganda. He was appointed to that position by the reigning Kabaka of Buganda, His Majesty Muwenda Mutebi II of Buganda, in May 2013, replacing Engineer John Baptist Walusimbi.
The Baruuli or Baluuli, are a Bantu ethnic group native to Bunyoro-Kitara, a subnational kingdom within Uganda. They stay in an area called Buruuli. They share a common ancestry with the Banyala.
Major General Kasirye Ggwanga, was a Ugandan military officer in the Uganda People's Defence Force. He was previously incarcerated as a prisoner of war for 897 days, inside both Uganda and Tanzania. He was a presidential advisor on Buganda Kingdom affairs. He was well respected for his fight towards environmental protection.
Joyce Rovincer Mpanga was a Ugandan politician and member of the Lukiiko from 2009. Mpanga was the Minister of Women in Development from 1988 to 1989 and the Minister of State for Primary Education from 1989 to 1992. Outside of the cabinet of Uganda, Mpanga was a Member of Parliament from 1996 to 2001 for Mubende District.
All of Audited Financials are available on website Wells of Life with Form 990
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