Every day, thousands of people profit from our work on their water.
Our core principles for bringing Change.
💧 Health.
Access to clean water and safe sanitation is the foundation of a healthy life. We focus on practical, community-driven solutions that prevent disease and protect the most vulnerable – because no one should get sick from a glass of water.
🌱 Hope.
We believe in local talent, young ideas, and human dignity. Every project we build is a message: you matter, your future matters, and change is possible.
Hope flows where water flows. One of our core missions is empowering communities to help themselves.
🚀 Development.
We don’t just deliver solutions – we develop them together. Through education, open collaboration, and hands-on training, we empower communities to lead, grow, and maintain their own water and sanitation systems. Sustainable. Scalable. Shared.
🔎 Internships.
We don’t do coffee runs – we do real-world impact. Our internships offer hands-on experience in the field, from system design to community training. Whether you’re an engineer, designer, or storyteller, you’ll leave with more than a line on your CV – you’ll leave changed.
🌍 Locals.
Change only works if it grows from within. That’s why we collaborate closely with local leaders, builders, health workers, and families. They guide our work, shape every decision, and turn projects into lasting progress. We don’t just work for communities – we work with them.
🎓 Students.
We believe students aren’t just the future – they’re the now. We support Bachelor’s and Master’s theses, research projects, and fresh ideas that tackle real water and sanitation challenges. If you want to think outside the lab and make a real-world difference, we’ll make space for you.
Our local impact
Real change starts at the community level. We work hand-in-hand with local partners in Uganda to create sustainable solutions that improve daily life – from access to clean drinking water to safe sanitation and hygiene education.
We don’t just deliver systems. We build local capacity, train community members, and adapt every project to the real needs of the people we serve. Our impact is visible in the schools, orphanages, and villages where children now drink clean water, where handwashing is possible, and where latrines offer dignity and safety.
Whether it’s constructing a ventilated pit latrine, introducing solar thermal disinfection, gravity membrane filtration or testing the use of medicinal herbs like Artemisia annua and Moringa oleifera to fight disease, our focus is always the same: empowerment through practical action. In water, in hygiene, education and general healthcare.
Every pipe laid, every filter installed, and every training held is a step toward long-term, community-owned change. And that’s what we’re here for. Not quick fixes – lasting impact.
Meet the team
Violetta Dimitresku
Engineer
🇦🇱 🇩🇪 Frankfurt
Andreas Mohr
Fundraising
🇩🇪 Hamburg
Barsoum Abadier
Engineering Intern
🇪🇬 🇩🇪 Cairo
Leon Roskoni
Film Division
🇩🇪 Frankfurt
Michael Ottensmann
Founder · Engineer
🇺🇸 🇩🇪 Weilerbach
Dr. Chiara Möser
Medical Doctor
🇩🇪 Frankfurt
Akim Sewava Sekadde
Driver
🇺🇬 Entebbe
Samuel Ottensmann
Film Division
🇺🇸🇩🇪 Frankfurt
🎓 Our Mentoring Program
We connect students, interns, and early-career professionals with experienced engineers, health experts, designers, and field workers. We’re here to help you grow.
⚙️ Engineering & Development Internship
Why do we become engineers?
To solve problems. To help others. To build something that matters.
At WeDevWater, engineering goes beyond blueprints and calculations—it’s about real-world impact. Our internship program offers young engineers the chance to work hands-on in Uganda, contributing to water and sanitation projects that change lives.
You’ll gain practical experience in:
Designing and adapting low-tech, high-impact water systems
Testing unconventional solutions that prioritize community acceptance
Collaborating with local builders, technicians, and field teams
Learning how to lead, mentor, and share knowledge – whether you’re a seasoned pro or a curious student
We believe in open thinking, not commercial limitations. Some of our best innovations have come from common sense and a willingness to try. If you have a bold idea – bring it. We’ll build it together.
››Interested in learning more about our Engineering Internship Program?‹‹
🎥 Filmmaking Internships
We believe stories can move people – and video is one of the most powerful ways to tell them.
That’s why filmmaking is an integral part of our work. We don’t just build clean water systems – we capture the people, ideas, challenges, and breakthroughs behind them. From the shores of Lake Victoria to the communities we serve, we document what matters.
We’re looking for film students and young professionals with a passion for visual storytelling. Whether you’re studying documentary filmmaking, videography, editing, or journalism – if you’re ready to go beyond the classroom, we have a place for you. As an intern, you’ll have more than just a task list. You’ll have the freedom to follow your curiosity, gain real insight into development work, and contribute to content that makes an impact.
Whether you’re behind the camera or in the editing suite – your lens can help amplify voices and spark change.
What we offer:
Access to experienced mentors and documentary producers
Opportunities to film in Uganda and Germany, including on-site project work and social documentaries
Space to explore, ask questions, and collaborate across departments
A safe and supportive environment to learn by doing – and yes, even to make mistakes
››Interested in learning more about our Filmmaking Internship Program?‹‹
📘 Student Mentoring Program
The best ideas don’t come from behind a desk—they come from the field.
That’s why we offer a dedicated mentorship program for students who want to combine their academic work with real-world impact. Whether you’re studying engineering, public health, environmental sciences, design, education, or filmmaking – if your thesis touches on water, sanitation, or community development, we want to work with you.
What we offer:
Personal mentorship from experienced professionals and field workers
A chance to travel to Uganda and conduct your research on-site
Support in data collection, project design, and local collaboration
Space to test your ideas in practice and adapt them to local realities
A vibrant, international network of fellow students and mentors
This is more than just an academic project – it’s your chance to contribute to something real. You won’t just study a problem. You’ll help solve one.
Master’s Theses That Made a Real-World Impact in Uganda
Mobile drinking water purification for developing countries. Master Thesis, Daniel Kaufmann, Hochschule Trier, 2016 Click here to read thesis.
Design and Construction of Cascade Sand Filter. Master Thesis, Violetta Dimitresku, Institut polytechnique de Grenoble, 2017 Click here to read thesis.
››Interested in writing your Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis with us?‹‹
What our graduates say about us.
“Not only did my time in Uganda help my studies, it changed me as a person.”
Daniel Kaufmann
Trier University of Applied Science 🇩🇪
“Getting hands on experience in the field really helped my Masters Thesis.”
Isabel Mendez
University of Granada 🇪🇸
“Working with WeDevWater in Uganda was the most formative part of my studies.”
Nicoletta Guida
University of Salerno 🇮🇹
Volunteer With Us 🤝
Volunteering with us means becoming part of a global family of changemakers who believe in clean water, better health, and equal opportunities. Whether you’re an engineer, artist, educator, student – or simply someone with a passion for helping others – we’ve got meaningful ways for you to contribute.
We promise a warm welcome, friendly faces, and a team that’s excited to work with you. As a volunteer, you’ll take part in hands-on, meaningful projects that truly make a difference – whether you’re contributing to local outreach in Uganda or supporting creative initiatives from afar. It’s a unique opportunity to gain real-world experience, apply your skills in impactful ways, and become part of something bigger: spreading the gift of hope to those who need it most.
