One major challenge Uganda faces is providing its citizens with clean water.
For a look at ways Korea has been trying to help, from government organizations to private companies and individuals,... Kwon Jang-ho reports.
Uganda's capital Kampala is a hustle and bustle of cars, high-rise buildings and modern technology.
But step out of the city and it's a very different picture.
Lacking basic infrastructure, even the simplest necessities can be hard to come by.
Eight million people, or roughly 20-percent of Uganda's population, do not have access to safe water.


In Korea, NGOs such as Habitat for Humanity Korea have been working to raise awareness and find ways to help alleviate the problem.
A water-carrying campaign was launched to highlight the long journeys that many Ugandans, mostly women and children, have to make every day to collect water.


"We wanted to highlight that not only do they have little access to clean water, the long times children spend collecting water means it takes away from their time for education and school as well."

One private Korean citizen who saw this issue and took it upon himself to help was Jy Park.
As a student he spent time in Uganda and experienced firsthand some of the difficulties Ugandans go through.


"When I was living there for two months, my health deteriorated. When I went to the hospital to find out what was wrong, they said it was from using and drinking unclean water for a long time and catching waterborne diseases. That's when it really hit me, how important water is, and that so many suffer because they don't have it."

Literally inspired by the jerry cans that were used by locals to carry water, he set up a company selling eco-backpacks, made from recycled local materials.
Profits go towards providing local children with bags specially designed to carry ten liter jerry cans.
Some are even locally produced, to provide employment for local women.


"I'm not suggesting we can change the world with a backpack, but