A BOLTON man is helping communities access water in rural parts of Uganda as the country continues its fight against Covid-19.

Tom McLenachan, 34, co-founded Equal Aqua Uganda (EAU) earlier this year after volunteering in the country with the International Citizen Service (ICS).

The aim of the charity is to work with rural communities in Uganda to improve water, sanitation and hygiene by tackling water inequalities, such as geography, gender, age and ethnicity.

Tom said: “A billion people worldwide still don’t have access to safe drinking water.

“In Uganda, over half of the country’s 42 million people struggle to access this basic human need.

“Through Equal Aqua, we hope to enhance the capability of communities to access water and sanitation facilities.”

Tom founded EAU with his Ugandan counterpart Abel Odeke who he met while volunteering with the ICS.

He said: “Seeing firsthand the challenges with water that people in rural Uganda face daily inspired us to start a grassroots organisation with new approaches.”

Access to clean water and sanitation has recently become a matter of life and death in Uganda as the natural resource is at the centre of the ongoing fight against Covid-19.

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni warned this week that the country is heading to a more dangerous phase of the coronavirus pandemic.

The country has so far confirmed 774 coronavirus cases with 631 recoveries and no deaths.

“We have started with small deeds to address short-term needs,” added Tom, who is originally from Ainsworth. “For instance, we have been installing handwashing centres with soap in communities and helped distribute over 300 face-masks.

“Through Facebook we have also conducted training to help build the capacity of other young people to make liquid soap to ensure personal safety but also sell to earn a living.”