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
Located at the outskirts of Bweyale town council which is one of the fastest growing towns along the Kampala Gulu highway in Uganda, Siriba Kitereke is a village with soils that are largely clay, making it the major source of burnt clay bricks for the rest of the town council. A handful of residents from this village practice small scale farming, while most of the youths engage in brick laying. This has left many parts of this village with ponds of stagnant water where the rest of the community draws water for consumption. This water is highly turbid and it is said to be the major cause of diseases in the village. The only protected water source is a shallow well that is 2 km away, which dries out during long dry spells. (Editor's Note: Since our partner did not provide population information, we safely estimate the village's population to be around 100 people.)
Kyamanywa Moses, a 52 year-old resident of this village revealed to us in an interview that he realized the dangers of poor sanitation through a radio talk show and thereafter applied for a protected water source. He affirmed that they had organized themselves into latrine digging groups in a bid to improve sanitation in the village. This community has applied for partnership in constructing a hand dug shallow well through Mr. Byaruhanga Emmanuel the village chairman.
There will be an intensive program to provide access to clean water and sanitation. The community will participate in excavating and constructing the water source. In the meantime the aim is that all households have access to a latrine. Many households do not 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 healthy lives, free of preventable diseases. Therefore we endeavor that at the end of our presence in the community, people will have access to both sustainable 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. We leverage 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, separate structure for animals and drying rack for dishes.
Community-Led Total Sanitation
We implement 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 10, 2015
Today we reported to the village with Technician Bernard and Godfrey the assistant. We began work with a site inspection and a suitable location has been selected where excavation work will commence immediately.
August 18, 2015
Excavation work hit water 14feet and the team has continued to excavate through the aquifer zone whose recharge rate is very high. All materials have been delivered to site and we anticipate that this well shall be concluded soon.
August 23, 2015
Soil formation changed suddenly to soft and collapsing. The technician has changed strategy to the deepening method and he is also bricking up the well although at a slow pace.
August 31, 2015
After achieving a depth of 21.8ft with a water column 0f 7.8ft, recharge was measured and found to be sustainable for the well.
September 17, 2015
Today we returned to this village for installation which was successful. The community is now enjoying clean and safe water.
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO MADE THIS PROJECT POSSIBLE!
