Businesses here helping 'half a world away' - Omaha World-Herald

Thousands of residents in South Sudan are getting fresh water thanks to the mission of a local nonprofit and the generosity and manpower from several Omaha-area businesses.

Aqua-Africa, an Omaha-based organization dedicated to providing clean water and civic education while introducing democratic ideals in developing communities, drilled three water wells in South Sudan in 2011. The wells provide clean drinking water for more than 1,500 Langabu residents.

Monday, Aqua-Africa finished drilling its fourth well in South Sudan, the first one of 2012.

The goal is five more wells by the end of the year. Combined, that would be nine wells, providing more than 70,000 liters of clean drinking water for about 4,500 residents of South Sudan.

“We wouldn't be able to do it without the support from local businesses,” said Buey Tut, co-founder and executive director of Aqua-Africa. Besides Tut, there are two other full-time employees at Aqua-Africa.

With countless hours from volunteers — and through generous financial donations from local and national businesses and individuals — Aqua-Africa is able keep its overhead costs at about 27 percent, with 73 percent of donations going directly into programs.

Aqua-Africa has more than 30 “talent specific” volunteers, including a lawyer, an accountant and a website designer.

Don Royer, an independent information technology consultant, volunteers his time to help maintain Aqua-Africa's website.

“It's exciting for me to be able to help folks half a world away, which is something we take for granted,” Royer said. “It really means a lot.”

Darcie Dingman of Dingman's Collision Center donates her time to handle the public relations and marketing for Aqua-Africa.

“I'm just helping to get the word out,” Dingman said. “I believe in Buey and his mission. He is an amazing young man that is doing so much for his native country that has so little. It makes me feel great to be a part of what he's doing.”

This year, Aqua-Africa's operating budget is $130,000, and Tut said they recently hit the halfway mark of their fundraising goal.

And after years of working out of coffee shops and homes, Aqua-Africa will move into its first office later this month, thanks to the New BLK (called New Black). The downtown Omaha ad agency and “creative think tank” donated a downtown office space, which would have cost Aqua-Africa more than $5,000 this year.

“We are very fortunate and appreciative for all of our donors and volunteers,” Tut said. “We are working to raise more awareness about Aqua-Africa so others can see what Nebraska is helping us accomplish.”

Tut, who immigrated to the United States from Sudan with his family in 1998 as refugees, said he remembers walking miles to get water when there were shortages and then sometimes walking even farther to get wood to purify the water.

“I always blame my mother that I'm not a professional soccer player because I had to spend so much time walking to get water,” Tut joked.

He co-founded the organization in 2005 with a fellow Sudan native, both wanting to give back to their homeland — and to give their people some time back.

“We wanted to free their time to focus on education or agriculture,” Tut said. “And we feel privileged to be able to do this.”

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