Project Status



Project Type:  Dug Well and Hand Pump

Regional Program: Western Uganda WaSH Program

Impact: 360 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Jan 2019

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 03/11/2024

Project Features


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People in Pakanyi Community travel a short distance to the Hamis Water Source. The open water is milky from contamination and algae is visible. But it is the only nearby source for water to use for cleaning, cooking, and drinking.

There are other water points, but the village of more than 1,000 people with two schools is struggling to supply enough safe water to everyone. At best, a single water point serves up to 350 people. There are frequent cases of waterborne illnesses among the community as a result.

Fewer than half of homes do not have latrines. This being a town center, many people are aware of the sanitation aspects and the importance of good sanitation. However, most of them are just stubborn and do not want to comply in as far as improving their household sanitation is concerned.

It should be noted however that there is a considerable number of families appreciating the importance of hygiene and sanitation as reflected by their efforts to have the basics. Though there is a fraction of those still struggling to have total household sanitation coverage.

Most people here are small-scale farmers. In the dry season, people prepare their fields to plant in advance of the rains. They go to gardens and return around midday when the sun is hot.

The women then prepare lunch for themselves and children who come back home from school to eat. Thereafter the men tend to go to town for social activities and the women remain home for household chores until 5pm when the children are let out of school for the day.

During planting season both parents return to the garden in the afternoons to weed and take care of their crops.

There are also others who deal in small businesses like shops, bars, and roadside vending since the area is on the main road to Kiryandongo.

Here’s what we’re going to do about it:

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 a shallow hand-dug 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, hand-washing facility, a separate structure for animals, rubbish pit and 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 the latrines and demand that other households do the same.

New Hand-Dug Well

With the guidance of our artisans and mechanics, the excavated well will be cased, sealed with a well pad, and then finished with a new AfriDev pump. The community will participate in excavating and constructing the water source.

Excavation takes a month or more on average, depending on the nature of the rock beneath. Construction of the well lining and installation of the pump takes on average 12 days.

This well will be located in Katugo Community and will bring clean water closer to families having to walk long distances for their water.

We are also rehabilitating one existing wells for the community to ensure everyone has access to safe water! Learn more here.

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.

Project Updates


January, 2019: Hamis Water Source Pakanyi Community Project Complete

Water is now flowing from a new hand-dug well in Pakanyi, Uganda. People are thrilled about this development that has further unified the community. People also attended hygiene and sanitation planning sessions and financial training, and have learned a lot that will enable them to live healthier lives.

Hand-Dug Well

Construction of this new well was a big success!

We have updated the GPS coordinates of this project to show the well’s location. This water point is on the grounds of a school so it will provide water to both the community and school.

It took about a month of work to finish this well. There were no major issues and construction proceeded smoothly. The most important part of this process was our collaboration with the community, who helped our technicians immensely in excavating the well itself.

The soak pit that is yet to be constructed well

Once the team reached sufficient depth, the technicians lined the well with bricks and mortar. This was reinforced and finished off with a well pad at ground level to protect the quality of water inside the well.

Construction crew digging well

The committee met the pump mechanics to oversee the installation of a new stainless steel Consallen pump. They were given contact information for all of our trained hand-pump mechanics in the area. They look forward to receiving technical assistance whenever they need it!

Constructing drainage area

"I want to take this opportunity to thank you for giving clean us clean, safe water for drinking. We are so grateful and may God bless you," Gerald Barungi said.

Completed well

Training

All community members in the village were mobilized through the local leaders, who informed them of our training plans. The meeting was held at the usual community meeting venue which is under the big mango tree in the trading center. The aim of the meeting was helping members to clearly understand the problems affecting their area.

More than 50 community members were able to attend the meetings and actively participated in identifying problems and coming up with solutions. The participants actively participated and effectively contributed to the success of the training.

Community members not only mapped hazards in their area, but came up with an action plan to prevent further issues. This encouraged household leaders to build new facilities at home, such as latrines and handwashing stations. Discussions helped these household representatives work out how to best prevent diseases by building new sanitation facilities, treating their water, and adopting other hygienic daily habits.

Another day of training was dedicated to a Village Savings and Loan Association. The money saved will be dedicated to the community’s overall development and well-being, with money first and foremost set aside to care for the community’s new clean water source. Participants voted on a committee that will oversee the savings program and their new clean water point.




January, 2019: Hamis Water Source Pakanyi Community Project Underway

Dirty water from an open, swampy source is making people in Pakanyi Community sick. Thanks to your generosity, we’re working to build a clean water point and much more.

Get to know this community through the narrative and pictures we’ve posted, and read about this water, sanitation and hygiene project. We look forward to reaching out with more good news!




Project Photos


Project Type

Hand-dug wells have been an important source of water throughout human history! Now, we have so many different types of water sources, but hand-dug wells still have their place. Hand dug wells are not as deep as borehole wells, and work best in areas where there is a ready supply of water just under the surface of the ground, such as next to a mature sand dam. Our artisans dig down through the layers of the ground and then line the hole with bricks, stone, or concrete, which prevent contamination and collapse. Then, back up at surface level, we install a well platform and a hand pump so people can draw up the water easily.


Contributors

Scandinavians for Life
Fronstream
13 individual donor(s)