Rehabilitation Project
The 275 people of the Kihaguzi Community struggle to access sufficient water. A long, steep, fear-wrought journey stands between them and access to clean water at a distant spring, their primary water source.
Field Officer Bena Nakabiri set the scene for us. She said, "The water source is situated at the bottom of the valley, necessitating residents to ascend a hill while bearing jerrycans. The danger of sexual assault, particularly for girls, arises as they traverse through the bushes to reach the water source."
Not only is their safety in question, but the time and energy consumed by the trek and collection of water, leaves room for little else in their lives. A 26-year-old farmer and mother Jane Amongin shared, "Due to the considerable distance to the waterpoint, I'm unable to make more than two trips, making the task of fetching water exhausting."
Jane at the spring.
Jane is unable to take care of her family, and tend to her livelihood with as much vigor as she would want because she is exhausted. After walking a long distance to the spring she then lugs the heavy water jugs back uphill to her home, through dangerous terrain leaving her with little energy for much else.
Community member tends to garden.
Because it's such an ordeal to get water, Jane is only able to make two trips a day, which means they have to make sacrifices at home. Hygiene practices, cooking, cleaning, drinking, and farming all require water but she rarely has enough to do it all and must decide what she will give up every day.
"Water is vital for survival as it facilitates cooking, enables various domestic tasks, and contributes to enhancing hygiene standards," she continued.
With easy access to water Jane's life has the opportunity to change substantially. Her time and health will be preserved, her livelihood enhanced and her safety less at risk. Without the benefit of clean water access, life for Jane in the Kihaguzi Community will continue to be rife with hardship.
The installation of a new water solution will enable people like Jane to focus on living their best lives, filled with the potential of thriving farms, caring for families and joy instead of exhausting journeys, fearing for their safety, and making sacrifices of necessary daily tasks because of a shortage of water.
"I intend to utilize that time for other tasks such as cleaning my home, gardening, and ensuring timely meal preparation for my family," Jane concluded.
Steps Toward a Solution
Our technical experts worked with the local community to identify the most effective solution to their water crisis. They decided to drill a borehole well, construct a platform for the well, and attach a hand pump.
Well
Abundant water often lies just beneath our feet. Aquifers—natural underground rivers—flow through layers of sediment and rock, offering a constant supply of safe water. A borehole well is drilled deep into the earth to access this naturally filtered and protected water. We penetrate meters, sometimes even hundreds of meters, of soil, silt, rock, and more to reach the water underground. Once found, we construct a platform for the well and attach a hand pump. The community gains a safe, enclosed water source capable of providing approximately five gallons of water per minute. Learn more here!
Community Education & Ownership
Hygiene and sanitation training are integral to our water projects. Training is tailored to each community's specific needs and includes key topics such as proper water handling, improved hygiene practices, disease transmission prevention, and care of the new water point. Safe water and improved hygiene habits foster a healthier future for everyone in the community. Encouraged and supported by the guidance of our team, a water user committee representative of the community's diverse members assumes responsibility for maintaining the water point, often gathering fees to ensure its upkeep.
A Community-Wide Approach
In Uganda, we use a Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach, which involves several meetings where community members evaluate their own hygiene and sanitation practices to encourage lasting change. During these sessions, natural leaders emerge, motivating the community to recognize and change unhealthy behaviors that affect everyone.
Communities then commit to ending open defecation before we install the water project. Every household builds and uses a latrine to prevent disease and improve hygiene and sanitation alongside their new water source. To support this effort, a Community Development Officer (CDO) is assigned. The CDO encourages each household to set up handwashing stations, animal pens, garbage pits, and dish-drying racks. These additions are crucial in preventing the spread of common diseases.
