July 13, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 11 Allendale May 27, 2011 was no ordinary morning in the small African village of Adak. After years of waiting, clean water finally began to flow. The village of Adak is located in a poor rural region outside the town of Gulu in Uganda and is home to Touch the World’s Dream Center project. Based in Allendale, Touch the World is a non-profit organization that accomplishes community development projects and works with teens and adults in New Jersey by sending them on global mission trips. For years, the people of Adak have been drinking, bathing, cooking, and cleaning from an old borehole that had been tested and found to contain large traces of human feces and other forms of highly harmful bacteria. Touch the World Uganda Director Jesse Kroeze has stated that 80 percent of disease is caused by unclean water and lack of hygiene. “Many parts of the developing world still lack clean water and are plagued by something that we in the developed world actually take for granted,” Kroeze said. The process of bringing clean water to Adak was no easy undertaking. First, a 131foot deep borehole had to be drilled. Next, a tall and sturdy water tower was built. Trenches were dug to lay pipe from the new borehole to the water tower. After the solar pump, solar panels, and a chlorination system were connected, the 10,000 liter tank was hoisted to the top of the water tower by rope. All that was left was to wait for the sun to rise in order to test the system. On that day in late May, all had changed for Adak when the first sip of clean water was taken. In addition to a traditional water tap, a drinking fountain was set up, possibly the first in the region. This is just the beginning of all that is to come for the village. A health center, community center, school, Volunteers bring clean water to northern Uganda Clockwise from left: Drilling the borehole. Local school children enjoying clean water. The completed water tank and tower. Project Manager Jeff Gunther and local worker Jimmy inserting solar pump. Jeff and Jimmy connecting the chlorination system. Digging the trench for piping and water tower footings. sports field, and many other necessities for the locals, are in the process of being built by staff of Touch the World Uganda, volun- teers from America, and most importantly, local village workers. Northern Uganda had been left ravaged after Joseph Kony and his army, known as the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), started (continued on page 15)