Rehabilitation Project
The 275 community members who call Kyawinyi Community home face a daily water crisis. The dug well that the community relies on is far away, causing people to waste valuable time and energy just trying to get to the waterpoint. It takes most people at least an hour per trip without accounting for the time they waste waiting in long lines because it is overcrowded. Most people have to make this trip several times a day to have sufficient water to meet their daily needs, which leaves them little energy and time to engage in agriculture, their primary means of income and food security.
A community member engaged in agriculture.
"They have to move a very long distance and on a busy road, causing risks of accidents, especially for children," shared Field Officer Bena Nakabiri as she described the dangerous trip to the well.
Harriet at the faraway well.
Thirty-two-year-old housewife Harriet Bakwatampola is familiar with the taxing trip and the frustration of wasting, on average, thirty minutes each time to collect water once she finally arrives.
"This area relies on a single shallow well, which is also shared with a neighboring village called Kinenabuhere," said Harriet.
She has to make the exhausting trip three times a day so she has enough water to care for her family and their livestock. That is over four hours of her time daily consumed to get enough water to survive. That is if the well is functioning properly. Unfortunately, it is often overtaxed and breaks down, leaving everyone scrambling for water wherever they can find it.
We asked Harriet why water is important to her. She said, "Water contributes to maintaining good hygiene at home and promotes good health."
A community member doing laundry.
Like most mothers who are homemakers, Harriet wants to take care of her family and her home to the best of her ability. She has daily tasks that need water for her family to survive, such as cooking, cleaning, laundry, and caring for their animals.
When we asked her what she would do if she had more accessible water, she said, "I would utilize this time to engage in other activities and ensure my home is well taken care of."
A community member in her kitchen.
Harriet and her community need a nearby, safe water source that can meet their daily needs without stealing all of their time and energy. With a reliable water point, they can progress in meaningful ways and have a sense of accomplishment in their daily lives, and their families can flourish.
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.
