The UCAF National Committee has selected three water themed projects that we believe are worthy of support and fit under the umbrella of our theme for the next three years of Living Water – Come Drink. They all involve the provision of clean water for people in their area of Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Outback Australia.

Clean Water – Papua New Guinea

A project of UnitingWorld through their partner church The United Church of PNG. Dirty and contaminated water, which is often used for washing and sanitation use, is rife across much of PNG and leads not just to illness but in many cases death.

There are two main types of clean water collection:

Gravity systems where, with sufficient year round rainfall, a small weir is built with water storage tanks and several collection (tap) points.  A tap costs $35. It costs an average of A$3,750 or 8,000Kina to construct each weir, and $3,000 or 6,500Kina for a 9000L storage tank.

Rain catchment systems, using either a house roof or purpose built roofing system, are more usual on small coral islands where ground water is often too ‘hard’ and unsuitable with minerals, like salt often present.  Four storage tanks cost A$12,000 plus a roof of A$2,500 per system.  In addition, sanitation and clean eater education training costs $30 per person/per village with up to 40-50 people attending on average per village.

In addition, UnitingWorld is working closely with their partners developing a comprehensive education and behaviour modification program in relation to all things to do with safe water and hygiene. They will have more to add to this aspect of their work at the UCAF National Consultation in April 2016.

To support this tax deductible project please send your payment to UnitingWorld’s freepost address (PO Box A2266 Sydney South NSW 1235) or visit www.unitingworld.org.au/donate and click to donate to Relief and Development or call UnitingWorld on 1800 998 122. Please remember to quote: UCAF Living Water!

For further information contact:
Rev. Paul Bartlett, Uniting World – Donor Relationships Manager
P: 02 8267 4267
E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Fresh Water and Toilet Facility

A project of North Ringwood Uniting Church (NRUC) and the Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu (PCV) in the village of Paunangisu; an hour’s drive north of the capital Port Vila.

Since 2008, NRUC have been involved in Vanuatu through Medical Sailing Ministries (MSM). Initially established to assist UnitingWorld’s Vanuatu Prevention of Blindness Project, MSM uses the yacht Chimere, owned by a NRUC member, to transport medical teams to the remote outer islands.

During a number of visits assistance has been expanded to include a range of activities; such as the establishment of the Vanuatu Dental Care Service (employing and training local staff), solar power installations, low smoke cooking stoves, fresh water storage and the construction of public toilets.

Being strategically placed half-way around the main island of Efate, it’s the freshwater and toilet projects that will enable the village of Paunangisu become the centre of future eco-tourism ventures, creating local employment, skills and income-earning opportunities.

Clean, modern toilets being the initial “attraction”, stopping tourists will be creating opportunities for further engagement, in the classic “any-fries-with-that” Mc-marketing strategy.

NRUC was well advanced with planning and fundraising for this project when Cyclone Pam arrived and heightened the urgency, and it must be said, the generosity of so many people and organisations.  After sending a fully laden shipping container in August to coincide with a volunteer (building) work-party in November, NRUC is now exited that the project is almost complete.

Having now constructed public water storage in the village of more than 27,000 litres, with the generous assistance of South Australian company Aquamate, plus the installation of more than 75 metres of tropical roof guttering, our focus now turns to assisting local families acquire their own 1,000 litre water tank.  These tanks will further build water-security, enabling rain to be collected for the dry times and at the same time cutting down on the need to walk considerable distances. 

Project Leader, Rob Latimer welcomes your interest and would be delighted to talk with you, or your group, about the current activities and plans for the future – particularly promotion of the “Half Day Village Experience Tour” that has started; giving visitors a grassroots, local and authentic Vanuatu experience they will never forget.

To support this project you can make your donation by

EFT : BSB 063 885 – CBA North Ringwood, Account No. 1037 1315 Reference: Water & Toilet Project,

or by

Cheque/money order payable to NRUC – PVP a/c Water & Toilet Project
         Post to NRUC, PO Box 2243, Ringwood North, 3134

For further information contact: Rob Latimer, Medical Sailing Ministries,
E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Outback Links - Frontier Services

Frontier Services is the national mobile ministry operating throughout remote and isolated Australia, from Western Australia through The Centre, South Australia to Western NSW, throughout Queensland up to Cape York, and down in the Victorian Alps and in Tasmania.

Their popular Volunteer Program ‘Outback Links’ has 1,250 registered volunteers who are helpers to remote stations and homes, contributing to work like fencing, repairs, mustering, farm-minding, childcare and teaching, book keeping and IT.

Their Water Project asks the UCAF to assist their volunteers, ministers and supporters by purchasing reserves of bottled water to be used in the field.  As theirs is a mobile ministry, bottled water is the one necessary component used in all of their activities, with emphasis on our outreaching to people in remote “off grid” locales where there are extreme temperatures.  Consideration for the environment means responsibly recycling the plastic bottles and bulk dispensers, and using local bottlers to minimise the carbon footprint caused through transportation and refrigeration. Costings to supply vary. One supplier quotes 3,000 350 ml bottles at 80c per unit = $2,400.  Another supplier, in a different state, quotes 600 ml bottles at $1 per bottle. Besides the cost per unit, the purity of the water is the prime consideration.

When placing an order for water, they will supply a custom label with Outback Links and Frontier Services logo and acknowledgement of this donation from UCAF, and an optional suitable line from scripture such as “I Am the Water of Life”.

To support this project you can make your donation by:

• sending your cheque payable to 'Frontier Services' GPO Box 2527,Sydney, 2001 together with advice that the donation is for the Outback Links Water Project; or by
• EFT:       
  Account Name:           Frontier Services Donations
  Account No.:               100020802
  BSB:                            634 634
  Reference:                  114007 water
  If you do choose this method of payment, please advise Frontier Services via email or phone so they can identify your donation in their bank statement.

For Further information Contact:

Martin Shields, Donor Relations Officer

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
P: 02 8270 1346