Rehabilitation Project
The 150 people who live in this area of Ntuuma have dismal options for collecting water.
One choice is traversing steep slopes through sugarcane plantations and tall, overgrown grass to reach scoop holes full of dirty, murky water. Although water can be found at the scoop holes most times, it is obvious looking at the algae and debris floating in the water that it is not safe to consume.
Joyce Ayesiza, a 21-year-old housewife, said, "During rainy seasons, the swamp floods and [water] pours with fish into the dug [scoop hole] well, and as time goes on, the water starts smelling and tastes badly, hence becoming hard to use."
Joyce used to collect drinking water from a borehole in a neighboring village, but she stopped when the water from the well became turbid and started to smell bad.
"The only water source left is that of the open [scoop hole] well, so the only option [is] to treat it [and] boil the water." But finding sufficient firewood is another problem she faces since most of the trees in the area have been cut down, so she is forced to buy expensive sugar cane to burn that she can't always afford.
Another option is traveling several kilometers to a "protected" spring (shown below). The spring is far away, and as evidenced by the photos of the spring, it is also in need of serious repairs. The spring's water is questionable at best.
"We get water from the 'protected' spring, which is at the border of Maiha and Ntuuma. The water point is far [away], about two kilometers," said eight-year-old Fahad, shown below carrying water. Normally, Fahad goes to the water point using a bicycle however, when the bicycle is broken, he either has to walk or resort to scooping water from the scoop holes like Joyce and her family.
Our field officer reported that when Fahad uses the water from the scoop holes for bathing, he develops a rash, and sometimes when he drinks the water, he develops stomachaches that keep him out of school, impacting his academic performance.
Neither water option the community members in Ntuuma have is healthy or sustainable, and they need a solution soon.
Here’s what we’re going to do about it:
New Borehole
This new borehole is an exciting opportunity for this community! We work with the community to determine the best possible sites for this well.
We conducted a hydrogeological survey and the results indicated the water table is an ideal candidate for a borehole well. Due to a borehole well's unique ability to tap into a safe, year-round water column, it will be poised to serve all of the water needs for this community, even through the dry months.
Community members will help collect the needed construction materials such as sand, rocks, and water for mixing cement. They will also provide housing and meals for the work team, in addition to providing local laborers. We will complement their materials by providing an expert team of artisans and drilling professionals, tools, hardware, and the hand-pump. Once finished, water from the well will then be used by community members for drinking, handwashing, cooking, cleaning, and much more.
Training
Training’s main objectives 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 this borehole well.
This social program includes the assignment of one Community Development Officer (CDO) to each village. The CDO encourages each household to build an ideal homestead that includes: a latrine, a handwashing facility, a separate structure for animals, a rubbish pit and a 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 the 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 them, and demand that other households do the same.
Improved Sanitation
The aim is that all households own an improved latrine. Many households do not use a latrine but use the bush. Due to open defecation, feces are spread all over the village. This leads to waterborne diseases and contamination of groundwater and surface water. Our aim is that the community is able to live a healthy life free of preventable diseases. We endeavor that at the end of our presence in the community, people will have both access to sustainable, clean water and access to sanitation. We have now organized families to form digging groups for latrine construction, and empowered them with tools to use.
"This water point will help reduce on the cases of accidents which were very common among the little children who would cross the roads to collect water from other alternative water sources," said 16-year-old Jackline A.
