Step right up, folks. I can double the value of your money instantly.

Last year the Sasamat Foundation, based in Vancouver, Canada, offered to donate to the CanAssist African Relief Trust to help with construction of a school in Mbita, Kenya. They offered $10,000 initially and another $5000 that they would give matching donations from other donors to CanAssist for this project. We ended up with $17,500 and this year the school building was successfully completed.

This year Sasamat has offered to do the same. They will match any donations made toward either of these CanAssist water projects in July. You can help us reach this goal. Read on.

The projects that CanAssist will support with this donation (and yours) are related to rainwater catchment in two communities in Kenya and Uganda.

Water is precious – we, in Canada, sometimes are not as aware of this since our access to fresh clean water is pretty much universal and taken for granted. But in Africa, people often have to walk several kilometers to get water and when they do, this is often from a pond or stream or river – not clean at all. Diarrheal diseases from consumption of unclean water is common and one of the largest causes of infant mortality. The work usually falls to the girls and women – costing several hours of productive time a day, absenteeism from school and risk of assault and even attacks by crocodiles. It is a daily chore which has significant impact on the well-being of the community and women in the community in particular.

This year, CanAssist will support rainwater catchment and storage at the Nyandema Secondary School in Migori District of Kenya. When it rains in Africa, the rain is often torrential, so having guttering on any existing building to catch rainwater into 10,000 litre storage tanks provides access to relatively clean water for the weeks to come.

Students at the Nyanema Secondary School have to walk about 5km every day to get water… and then it is from this muddy river. CanAssist will fund four rainwater catchment tanks at the school to provide a clean accessible water supply.

A second rainwater catchment and storage project will be at the Olimai Health Centre in Eastern Uganda. CanAssist has had an ongoing association with this small hospital facility and last year provided funding to complete a new maternity building for the clinic – one with a big new roof that will be excellent to catch rainwater!

Last year CanAssist funded the installation of this roof on a new maternity ward at the Olimai Clinic in Uganda. This year we would like to provide guttering and rainwater storage tanks to provide water for the clinic.

The cost for both of these projects will total approximately $15,000 Can

Our second Canada Day Challenge to our supporters is to donate before the end of July to CanAssist to support these projects. Any donations we receive to help with this access to clean water for these two communities in July will be matched with an equal donation by Sasamat.

Will you help us to achieve this goal? Your donation will be doubled if you make it in July and specify the Olimai Health Centre or the 2013 Sasamat Double Your Money campaign with your donation.

Donations by cheque can be made to the CanAssist African Relief Trust , 562 Sycamore Street, Kingston Ontario. K7M7L8 Or by using the secure Canada Helps link found on our web site or right now using the link below.