Rehabilitation Project
This project is a part of our shared program with The Water Trust. Our team is pleased to directly share the below report (edited for clarity, as needed).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Kanyogoga Tucunge Uzima village derived her name from the Swahili dialect meaning "Good health" and this name was adopted 15 years ago after the out break of marbug disease which killed many from Bweyale sub-county. The village has since made efforts to keep good sanitation around their homes through a vibrant village health team. Located in the southern ward of Bweyale Town council, one of the fastest growing towns along the Kampala Gulu highway in Kiryandongo district, this village depends on subsistence farming with beans, ground nuts, cassava and sweet potatoes as their source of livelihood. Residents of this village fetch water from open water sources which are highly turbid and it is said to be the major cause of diseases in the village. The only protected water source is located 2 km away and residents find it too far to fetch water every day. Children and women are responsible for fetching water. One jerrycan carries 20 liters of water. You can imagine how heavy it is to carry two jerrycans, 2 km. Sometimes people fetch even twice a day. Fetching water is a day-consuming task. The community is very happy about the opportunity to receive a clean and protected water source. "We are going to work hard not only on the water source but also on the construction of latrines so that the ground water remains protected," said Mr. Byaruhanga Emmanuel, the village chairman, and the village agreed to form a partnership to construct a shallow hand dug well.
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, faeces are spread all over the village and contaminate open water sources. Our aim is to ensure that the community is able to live a healthy life, free of preventable waterborne diseases. We strive to work in partnership with the community to access safe clean water and improved sanitation.
SANITATION AND HYGIENE STRATEGY
The main objectives of the 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. The program 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, we can work towards sustainable, interdisciplinary WASH development.
The 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, a separate structure for animals, and a drying rack for dishes.
Community Led Total Sanitation
The team implements the Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach with each of our village partners. We facilitate 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
August 12, 2015
Today we delivered Christopher the technician who is going to be assisted by Wanok to the village. We also cited a suitable location for the project and excavation work was flagged off with excavation.
August 19, 2015
Water has been struck 14 feet and this has motivated the community to work harder despite the fact that the soil formation is hard.
August 23, 2015
Work has been halted at this site after hitting bedrock. The technician will now re-site at another location and work shall start at afresh.
August 31, 2015
Upon resiting, water was hit 15 feet deep but the project encountered a massively collapsing sand in the aquifer prompting the excavating team to suspend the project. The technical has now been moved to another site as we ponder the next course of action.
(Editor's Note: The population listed for this project is an estimate as our partner has not been able to provide this information yet. We will update the page as soon as we are able.)
