Salesian Missionaries Install High-Capacity Water Tank for 93,000 Refugees in Uganda
Palabek, 23 March 2026
A new high-capacity water tank has been installed at Uganda’s Palabek Refugee Resettlement Camp, home to 93,000 displaced people, primarily from South Sudan. The project directly benefits over 750 students and workers at the camp’s vocational training school whilst addressing critical water shortages for the broader refugee population. With 60% of residents under age 13, the initiative aims to reduce waterborne diseases like cholera and diarrhoea caused by inadequate water storage. The installation forms part of Salesian Missions’ global Clean Water Initiative, which recognises how water scarcity disproportionately impacts women and girls by limiting educational and economic opportunities whilst compromising safety.
World Water Day Highlights Urgent Global Crisis
The water tank installation coincides with World Water Day on 22 March 2026, an annual observance held since 1993 that this year focuses on the theme “Water and Gender Equality” [1]. The timing underscores the global scale of water access challenges, with U.N.-Water reporting that 2.1 billion people lack safely managed drinking water, including 115 million who rely on surface water sources [1]. Half the world’s population experiences severe water scarcity for part of each year, making projects like the Palabek installation critical for vulnerable communities [1].
Long-Term Support for Displaced South Sudanese
Salesian missionaries have maintained a presence at Palabek Refugee Resettlement Camp since its establishment in 2016, providing educational and social services alongside infrastructure development [1]. The camp primarily houses displaced persons from South Sudan, with the demographic breakdown revealing the particular vulnerability of the population - approximately 55800 residents are children under 13 years of age [1]. This high proportion of young people makes access to clean water even more critical, as children face greater health risks from waterborne diseases and contaminated water sources.
Addressing Gender-Specific Water Challenges
Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions, emphasised the disproportionate impact of water scarcity on women and girls, explaining: “Salesian missionaries understand how the lack of water can impact women and girls disproportionately, taking away their time from meaningful work and education. It also risks their safety” [1]. The new water infrastructure aims to reduce the time and safety risks associated with water collection, particularly for female refugees who traditionally bear responsibility for household water needs [GPT]. By improving water availability at the vocational training school, the project enables greater educational participation amongst women and girls in the camp.
Global Clean Water Initiative Expansion
The Palabek project forms part of Salesian Missions’ broader “Clean Water Initiative”, which prioritises well construction and clean water supply in communities where Salesian missionaries operate [1]. Recent projects include a borewell installation at Don Bosco College Chapaguri in Assam, India, providing consistent water supply for 100 hostel students [1]. In Korr, Kenya, Salesians are constructing two wells with solar pumps, pipes, and a 20,000-litre tank funded by the Salesian Mission Office in Turin, Italy, which will improve conditions for over 800 families, with one well already completed [1]. St. Jude Science and Technical College in Nigeria has also upgraded its water system through the initiative, impacting 1,300 students, 70 staff members, and 350 community youth through borehole construction, well rehabilitation, water storage improvements, WASH club establishment, and toilet renovations [1].