In 2023 Water School celebrates five years with its partner, Africa Water Solutions

In 2017, Water School decided to reorganize its agency in Uganda. Many excellent, younger people took on bigger responsibilities and women took a larger role in managing our programs. Africa Water Solutions was born in January 2018 and now has 56 professional staff.

A new board of directors was recruited, with the AWS board being chaired by the distinguished Professor of Medicine at Makerere University, Dr Ponsiano Ocama, as the Chair. The board has diverse business backgrounds including finance construction and education.

John Ochieng

Executive Director, Africa Water Solutions | Kampala, Uganda  

John Ochieng grew up in eastern Uganda, and worked to support his family while a schoolchild.  Through success in education, he was sponsored into the Leadership Development Program at Compassion International.  He obtained a law degree at Makerere University, and is a qualified attorney.  John also holds an MBA and a Masters in Institutional Management.  He has over 10 years’ experience in developing and teaching best health practices in rural communities, and in social justice issues.  He is a Deacon and Youth Ministry Leader in his church.  Together, John and his wife, Naome, mentor and provide for several children.  John speaks English, Swahili, Luganda and several other Ugandan languages.

Joseph Tumushime

Program Director, Africa Water Solutions | Kampala, Uganda

Joseph Tumushime grew up in western Uganda, close to the border with Rwanda and Congo.  He completed his teacher training qualification and became a high school geography teacher.  This led to becoming an examiner for the Uganda National Examinations Board.  Joseph also worked in the environmental field for Care International, the International Gorilla Conservation Program and the Africa Wildlife Foundation.  He moved to Kampala, obtained a Master’s degree in Management Studies, and worked for over 10 years developing and teaching best health practices in rural communities.  Joseph and his wife, Edith, have 5 children.  Joseph speaks English, Luganda and several other Ugandan languages.

Sarah Nsonga Lutalo

Chief Financial Officer, Africa Water Solutions | Kampala, Uganda

Sarah grew up in central Uganda and holds a BA in Accounting from Makerere University.  She also holds a Certified Public Accountant qualification.  Sarah has worked for several organizations, including Loving Hearts Babies Home and Africa Renewal Ministries.  Sarah’s passion is to work in situations which help others obtain a chance for a better life.  Sarah and her husband, Joshua, are proud parents of twins.

Professor Ponsiano Ochama

Board Chair, Africa Water Solutions | Pakwach, Northern Uganda

Ponsiano grew up in a poor village in Northern Uganda.  Continued success in the education system resulted in him achieving his PhD at Antwerp University and eventually becoming Chair of the Faculty of Medicine at Uganda’s top university, Makerere University.  Ponsiano is a gastroenterologist and specialised in tropical liver disease, as an expert in this field he was admitted as a fellow of physicians in United Kingdom and has travelled globally, working with organizations like the US National Institutes of Health and World Health Organization where he regularly participates in writing health policy guidelines and review of hepatitis C guidelines.

Ponsiano sits on different NGO boards and is Chair of the AWS Board, where he provides us with wisdom, guidance and valuable contacts.  He speaks English, French, Luganda, Swahili, Luo and several other languages.

Ms. Edith Musasizi

Vice Chair, Board of Directors, Africa Water Solutions | Mayuge, Eastern Uganda

Edith has a background in education, human resource management and currently is owner and CEO of Rena College School, an elite, private school.  Edith is a champion of girls’ rights and is passionate about removing obstacles for girls’ advancement.   

Edith is Vice Chair of the AWS Board, and her focus is on governance and human resources at Africa Water Solutions.

Mr. Julius Opiso

Board Member, Africa Water Solutions | Soroti, North Eastern Uganda

Julius holds a Masters Degree in accounting and finance from Makerere University, where he is a lecturer at the Business School.  He is currently working on a PhD at Makerere.  His areas of focus are taxation, microfinance and financial reporting in not for profit organizations.  He has consulted with the governments of Uganda, Kenya and Malawi. 

Julius’ work on the AWS Board focuses on maintaining strong finance, accounting and audit functions.

Mr. Jacques Matsiko

Board Member, Africa Water Solutions | Kabale, Western Uganda

Jacques has worked for many religious and charitable organizations in Uganda, including Compassion International where he was the Country Director for 25 years and a leadership training consultant for SOS an American organisation.  In 2007, along with several distinguished Ugandan and Canadian men, Jacques founded Water School, with the vision to end the scourge of water borne diseases in Uganda.   

Jacques provides us with history, wisdom, leadership, governance skills and many useful contacts.

Mr. Asaph Nuwagira

Board Member, Africa Water Solutions | Bushenyi, Western Uganda

Asaph is a professional engineer and CEO of FeN-Mak Building Solutions. Its focus is on real estate development, designs and construction of large commercial and residential buildings.  Asaph’s knowledge has been invaluable as AWS and Water School have developed their focus on constructing physical solutions to the water crisis, like rainwater harvesting tanks, deep borehole well and aquifer water systems. 

Asaph’s focus on the AWS Board is on the efficiency and sustainability of our hardware project interventions.

Richard Lau

Executive Director, WaterSchool | Vancouver, Canada 

Richard is an Internet Consultant, and is the founder of NamesCon, the largest commercial domain name conference held annually.  He is a founding member of WaterSchool and has championed numerous WaterNight events - the organization's flagship fundraising gala. Richard is passionate about connecting people to WaterSchool's impact in Uganda and encouraging people to sponsor a child and their family's access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene.  When Richard's not shaving his head to raise funds for WaterSchool, he can be found enjoying the beauty of the West Coast with his wife and two sons.

Tony Woodruff

African Program Director, WaterSchool | Burnaby, Canada

Tony has long had an interest in the developing world. As a young man, he joined the English NGO, Voluntary Service Overseas, and taught math and science in a small rural school in Northern Kenya before pursing an MA from Oxford and an MBA from the University of Chicago. In 2011, he retired from international business and took on his new role with WaterSchool. Tony travels to Uganda at least twice a year with WaterSchool to provide planning support to the AWS team as well as to engage in the ongoing monitoring of programs and finance. When he's not in Uganda with our team, he is often found in his garden on the Sunshine Coast with Peggy, his wife of 50 years, his three grown children, and his ten grandchildren.

Dave Ericson

Chair of the Board, WaterSchool | Strathmore, Canada

Dave is the President of Hillcrest Financial, a Group Benefits and Retirement consulting practice. Following an inspiring trip to Uganda and Kenya in 2007 where he witnessed the tremendous power of the sun for improving the health of some of the world’s most vulnerable people, Dave became the Chairman of WaterSchool and has continued in that capacity. Dave is also on the Board of Briercrest College & Seminary and is an active member of the Strathmore Alliance Church. Dave lives in Strathmore, Alberta with his wife and two children.

Gregg McNair

Board Member, WaterSchool | Panama City, Panama

Dr. Gregg McNair is Centram’s Chairman and Co-Founder. Gregg (fondly known as "Triple G" among friends) has become well known in the domain industry as a forthright, insightful and successful businessman, always available to assist others and to share his broad entrepreneurial and commercial experience. From a background in farming, stock broking and investment banking, Gregg built the largest CEO education program in Australasia and has carried that skill, knowledge and experience into the domain industry making him one of the most credible and sought after speakers on the circuit. In 2015 Gregg was conferred an Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration from CULA recognizing and honouring his business achievements and services to philanthropy. An Australian citizen, Gregg also holds permanent resident status in Panama.