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Home Social Impact & NGOs Watoto Church Gives UGX 53.5m to Buganda Kingdom to Support Mobile Water Clinic for Island Communities

Social Impact & NGOs

Watoto Church Gives UGX 53.5m to Buganda Kingdom to Support Mobile Water Clinic for Island Communities

Corporate editorUpdated 2 hours Ago2 Mins read18

Watoto Church has contributed UGX 53.5 million towards the proposed Mobile Water Clinic, an initiative aimed at improving access to healthcare for communities living across Uganda’s island districts.

The cheque was received by Katikkiro of Buganda, Charles Peter Mayiga, who said the initiative is intended to address some of the logistical and financial barriers that prevent island communities from accessing essential health services. The proposed clinic would operate on water, moving between islands to bring healthcare services closer to residents rather than requiring patients to make costly journeys to mainland health facilities.

The initiative is particularly relevant to the Ssese and Buvuma island communities, which comprise 83 and 54 islands respectively. According to Mayiga, limited and expensive water transport remains one of the major challenges affecting access to healthcare in these communities.

“Health is a prerequisite for social and economic transformation,” Mayiga said, noting that the initiative is intended to take essential services directly to communities that are difficult to reach through conventional healthcare infrastructure.

The project was conceived following Mayiga’s visits to the islands, where he engaged communities and assessed some of the challenges they face.

He said the initiative was also encouraged by His Majesty the Kabaka, who urged stakeholders to explore a mobile healthcare solution capable of moving from one island to another.

Healthcare as an economic issue

Beyond its medical benefits, the proposed clinic could have wider economic implications for island communities.

For people whose livelihoods depend on fishing, agriculture, tourism and small businesses, travelling long distances to seek medical attention can mean additional transport costs and lost working time.

Improved access to healthcare can therefore contribute to healthier workers, reduced household medical costs and greater economic productivity.

The project also presents an opportunity for partnerships between the private sector, faith-based organisations, government agencies and development partners to address infrastructure gaps in hard-to-reach communities.

Mayiga said approximately US$60,000 has so far been raised towards the initiative, with the latest contribution from Watoto Church providing a significant boost to the fundraising effort.

He also thanked Watoto Church for its contribution and for organising celebrations marking the Kabaka’s 33rd Coronation Anniversary.

The proposed Mobile Water Clinic comes at a time when improving access to social services in hard-to-reach communities remains an important component of Uganda’s broader development agenda.

If successfully implemented, the initiative could provide a practical model for delivering healthcare to other geographically isolated communities where conventional health facilities and road-based transport systems face limitations.

For the island communities, the objective is straightforward: bring healthcare closer to the people, reduce the cost of accessing essential services and create healthier communities that can participate more fully in the local economy.