Rehabilitation Project
The report below from our partner in the field gives some great information on the construction of a new hand-dug well in the Pakanyi Centre in Uganda:
Background
Pakanyi Centre is a busy trading center located in Kyakamese parish, Miirya/Pakanyi sub-county in Masindi district. This centre is a business hub for Miirya/Pakanyi sub-county and is one of the fast growing trading centres in the district with very many grain and other produce stores where farmers from the remote parts of the sub-county come to trade. This centre is highly multi-ethnic with more than ten tribes who migrated from different parts of the country and lies 9kms from Masindi town on the road to Kiryandongo District.
Being a busy centre, many people migrated to this place causing a population outburst and therefore a scramble for resources like water and health facilities. Masindi district local government has so far addressed health related issues by constructing a health center III. Access to clean and safe water has remained a major challenge to the community around this centre. Mr Mugenyi Edward the village council chairman wrote a letter to The Water Trust requesting for a water source which we have granted. In the application letter, the chairman said that one of the community member offered a piece of land suitable for a shallow hand dug well and that the community was willing to contribute the locally available materials like a trip of hard core, a trip of sand and 200 bricks.
According to Mr. Lubega Abdul the sub-county chief, this water source will benefit traders within the trading centre, Pakanyi sub-county staff, the heath centre and students from Pakanyi secondary school among other community members.
The Water Trust will have an intensive program to provide access to clean water and sanitation. The community will participate in excavating and constructing the water source. In the mean time the aim is that all households have access to a latrine. Many households don’t use a latrine but use the bush. Due to open defecation, feaces are spread over the village. This leads to (fatal) diseases and contamination of the groundwater. Our aim is that the community is able to live a healthy live, free of preventable diseases. Therefore we endeavor that at the end of our presence in the community, people have both access to sustainable clean water and access to sanitation.
Sanitation and Hygiene Strategy
The main objectives of TWT’s Sanitation and Hygiene Program are the use of latrines and observing proper hygiene practices as these goals are inherently connected to the provision of clean water. Open defecation, water storage in unclean containers and the absence of hand washing at critical times are all possible contaminates to the water supply at the household level. TWT leverages this relationship, by requiring each participating village to achieve Open Defecation Free status (defined by one latrine per household), prior to the pump installation for a shallow hand dug well. Using the immediate gratification of clean water as an impetus, TWT works toward sustainable, interdisciplinary WASH development.
The Water Trust’s social program includes the assignment of one Community Development Officer (CDO) per village. The CDO encourages each household to build an ideal homestead that includes: a latrine with hand-washing facility, a rubbish pit, separate structure for animals and drying rack for dishes.
Community Led Total Sanitation
The Water Trust implements the Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach with each of our village partners. TWT facilitates a CLTS session in which we aim to improve the sanitation and hygiene practices and behaviors of a village. During these sessions, village leaders naturally emerge and push the community to realize that current practices of individual households – particularly open defecation– are not only unhealthy, but affect the entire village. CLTS facilitates a process in which community members realize the negative consequences of their current water, sanitation and hygiene behaviors and are inspired to take action. Group interactions are frequent motivators for individual households to: build latrines, use the latrines and demand that other households do the same.
Construction Progress
October 10, 2014
Richard the technician has been transferred to the community of Pakanyi Centre to support the community with a new shallow hand dug well. So far he and the team of community volunteers have managed to excavate the well up to 5ft despite the heavy rainfall over the week.
October 17, 2014
The excavation process is going on well with Richard the technician and the community volunteers. The team struck water at 14ft and have so far achieved a water column of 6ft. Soil formation remains stable and the recharge also looks promising. Hassan the TWT tipper truck driver managed to successfully deliver the locally available materials of sand, hardcore and bricks onsite this week.
October 24, 2014
This was a good week for Richard and the community as they completed the excavation process reaching 22 ft and achieving a water column of 8ft. The well is already being lined with bricks and the casting of the slab and pump base are also underway. Kagwa the TWT Technical Supervisor has measured the recharge of this well and noted that it is very good- taking only 10 minutes to already refill the well. Next week Richard will work on the protection wall which will be covered in clay and work with the community to complete the fencing around the water point.
October 31, 2014
All masonry work has been concluded at this site and it has been covered to cure as we organize it’s installation.
November 5, 2014
The well has been installed by Maurice and the community is now drinking safe and clean water.
