Project Status



Project Type:  Dug Well and Hand Pump

Regional Program: Western Uganda WaSH Program

Impact: 240 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Jan 2017

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 09/18/2024

Project Features


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Community Profile

Fungua Macho-Chongolima is a sub-village of the Fungua Macho local council, located approximately 15 kilometers off the Kampala-Gulu Highway. It is also nearby the Nanda Trading Center of Nyamahasa Parish, Mutunda sub-County, Kiryandongo District. This is a small village with only 60 households at most.

This village is characterized by flat land which floods during heavy rains. It is fragmented into small garden plots for subsistence farming. The small garden plots are planted with food crops like millet, cassava and beans. This community is the food basket of the area.

The men and women here wake up at 6AM in the morning to work on their farms. When there are enough crops harvested, women take them to the local trading center to sell. After work, the men meet at that trading center to drink and play cards. Women return home to prepare dinner and relax.

Water Situation

Chongolima Community draws water from open, contaminated sources near their households.

There are protected water sources a little over one kilometer away, which all charge a heavy access fee. "Long queues at protected water sources in the nearby villages makes fetching water among this community a whole day’s job, hence we resort to open contaminated water," said the village chairman. From our interactions with residents, we found out that households from Chongolima and other far away areas are charged the highest water user fees (5000 Ugandan shillings which is equivalent to $1.50 per month) at the protected wells. This is an attempt to keep distant communities like Chongolima from overcrowding the water sources.

The contaminated sources in Chongolima Community are located in open areas completely open to surface runoff, animal activity, and other contaminants. After drinking, people in Chongolima suffer from waterborne diseases that they can't afford to treat.

Sanitation Situation

Around a quarter of households share their neighbor's latrine. Most of these are in good condition. Sanitation in this area is decent because of bylaws that have been put in place by local leadership. Everyone should have their own facilities, but some community members ask to be excused from these demands because they cannot afford construction materials.

You can see what a latrine and hand-washing station looks like in the "See Photos & Video" section. Two community members, Odanga and Sunday, took us on tours to see their homes and meet their families.

Plans: Hygiene and Sanitation Training

The main objectives of training are the use of latrines and observing proper hygiene practices, since these goals are inherently connected to the provision of clean water. Open defecation, water storage in unclean containers and the absence of hand-washing are all possible contaminants of a household water supply. Each participating village must achieve Open Defecation Free status (defined by one latrine per household), prior to the pump installation for a shallow hand-dug well.

The CDO will continue to encourage each household to build an ideal homestead that includes: a latrine, hand-washing facility, a separate structure for animals, rubbish pit and drying rack for dishes.

We also implement the Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach with each of our village partners. This aims 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 the practice of 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.

Plans: Hand-Dug Well

We plan to construct a shallow hand-dug well to give Chongolima a safe, accessible, and sustainable water source. This community has pledged to excavate the hole and provide local construction materials like sand, aggregates, hardcore and bricks. They will also provide food and accommodation for the technician we shall send to work with them during this partnership.

There will be an intensive program to provide access to clean water and sanitation in this village. The community will participate in excavating and constructing the water source. In the meantime, the aim is that all households own an improved latrine. Many households do not use a latrine, but use the bush. Due to the practice of open defecation, feces are spread all over the village and thus contaminate open water sources. We want to ensure that the community is able to live a healthy life that is free of preventable waterborne diseases.

Actual well construction will take four to six weeks if there are no challenges. The well will be lined with bricks and sealing clay, and finished with a Consallen pump.

Thank You for partnering with us to get clean water to the people living in Chongolima!

Project Updates


December, 2017: A Year Later: Fungua Macho-Chongolima Community

A year ago, generous donors helped install a well with Fungua Macho-Chongolima Community in Uganda. Because of these gifts and contributions from our monthly donors, partners can visit project sites throughout the year, strengthening relationships with communities and evaluating the actual water project. These consistent visits allow us to learn vital lessons and hear amazing stories – we’re excited to share this one from our partners, Peter Osire and Geoffrey Kusemererwa, with you.




Project Photos


Project Type

Hand-dug wells have been an important source of water throughout human history! Now, we have so many different types of water sources, but hand-dug wells still have their place. Hand dug wells are not as deep as borehole wells, and work best in areas where there is a ready supply of water just under the surface of the ground, such as next to a mature sand dam. Our artisans dig down through the layers of the ground and then line the hole with bricks, stone, or concrete, which prevent contamination and collapse. Then, back up at surface level, we install a well platform and a hand pump so people can draw up the water easily.


A Year Later: Fungua Macho-Chongolima Community

December, 2017

There are reduced cases of diseases like diarrhea. Almost 70% of the children in the village used to have swollen stomachs. This was attributed to the open water source from which they were drawing drinking water. Since the introduction of this clean water point, this scenario has not been as evident among our children.

Keeping The Water Promise

There's an incredible community of monthly donors who have come alongside you in supporting clean water in Fungua Macho-Chongolima Community.

This giving community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Fungua Macho-Chongolima Community maintain access to safe, reliable water. Together, they keep The Water Promise.

We’re confident you'll love joining this world-changing group committed to sustainability!

A year ago, generous donors helped install a well with Fungua Macho-Chongolima Community in Uganda. Because of these gifts and contributions from our monthly donors, partners can visit project sites throughout the year, strengthening relationships with communities and evaluating the actual water project. These consistent visits allow us to learn vital lessons and hear amazing stories – we’re excited to share this one from our partners, Peter Osire and Geoffrey Kusemererwa with you.


Fungua Macho-Chongolima Village became Open Defecation Free (ODF) with 100% latrine coverage on December 7, 2016.

A latrine with a hand-washing station outside.

Peter notes that since the water point is so close to the community members, members can spend their time on other important activities instead of just fetching water. Men opt to go to the trading center to repair bicycles for money, attend to their trade shops, among other activities. The children do not have to rush back home from school because they can easily access the water point at any time. School attendance itself has improved since these children began drinking clean water.

Peter also said that a Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) was introduced to this community to improve maintenance of the well. It has helped pay for these repairs as well as improved the livelihoods through easy access to small loans. These loans help them solve their day to day problems like purchasing seeds for their farms. It has also helped community members avoid the high interest rates charged by micro-finance institutions and eliminates the possible confiscation of property in case of failure to repay the loan on time.
Through the VSLA, 716,800 shillings has been saved for water point maintenance while 2,192,000 shillings has been accumulated as members' personal savings.

Geoffrey Odaga

Peter met with Geoffrey Odaga at the well to talk about some of this. He says "there are reduced cases of diseases like diarrhea. Almost 70% of the children in the village used to have swollen stomachs. This was attributed to the open water source from which they were drawing drinking water. Since the introduction of this clean water point, this scenario has not been as evident among our children."

Marcus Opio

11-year-old Marcus Opio came by the well to fetch clean water while we were there. "These days we drink clean water with no germs unlike before, when we used to drink contaminated water from an open water source. This water would even lead to skin diseases," he said.

Peter left these interviews feeling encouraged about how well the community is taking care of both themselves and their water point.


The Water Project and our partners are committed to consistent monitoring of each water source. Our monitoring and evaluation program, made possible by monthly donors, allows us to visit communities up to 4 times a year. Read more about our program and how you can help.


Navigating through intense dry spells, performing preventative maintenance, conducting quality repairs when needed and continuing to assist community leaders to manage water points are all normal parts of keeping projects sustainable. The Water Promise community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Fungua Macho-Chongolima Community maintain access to safe, reliable water.

We’d love for you to join this world-changing group committed to sustainability.

The most impactful way to continue your support of Fungua Macho-Chongolima Community – and hundreds of other places just like this – is by joining our community of monthly givers.

Your monthly giving will help provide clean water, every month... keeping The Water Promise.


Contributors

Project Sponsor - Cornvinus Trading ltd