Rehabilitation Project
Upon completion of the project, our partner in the field reports...
Community Details
This rain water catchment facility is located at Coleb Primary School, Rushere Parish, Kenshunga Sub- County, Nyabushozi WASH Program Area in Kiruhura district. Before Living Water Uganda intervention, the school population of 259 pupils (121 boys and 138 girls) was walking three kilometers daily, searching for water and often forced to sacrifice class work to fetch water. This posed both health and physical risks to the school children and inevitably school performance, attendance, enrollment and the overall school completion rate was poor and dropout rate was high. The school management sought help from the Living Water Uganda-Nyabushozi WASH Program Area through an application letter requesting a well. Living Water Uganda responded after conducting a school WASH assessment survey to establish the hygiene and sanitation situation as well as feasible technology options. However, the low, underground water potential and limited possibility of drilling success in this water-stressed area coupled with a high cost of operation, Living Water Uganda, after consultation with Living Water Development and TWP, responded by constructing a 25,000 liter capacity rain water catchment facility. Living Water Uganda successfully constructed the rainwater catchment facility fitted with flush outs reaching approximately 259 new beneficiaries with safe drinking water. The tank was dedicated and handed over to the community. The school and community water end users are responsible for the management and maintenance of this water facility. Action planning meetings were held with the School Management Committee (SMC) and Parent Teacher Association (PTA) to design strategies on how to effectively manage the water source. The school, to oversee the day-to-day management of this facility, has instituted gender equal Community Based Management System (CBMS), consisting of 10 people. The School Health Club will work in close collaboration with the CBMS to ensure proper maintenance of the tank. They are doing this through participation in planning and contribution of an Operation & Maintenance (O&M) fund. Dictated by the type and socio-economic status of water beneficiaries, cash contributions of one thousand shillings (1000UGX/$0.4USD) per pupil per term were agreed upon. Living Water Uganda will train the SHC in Child Hygiene and Sanitation Training (CHAST) approach to promote adoption of positive hygiene and sanitation practices. This approach will equip the child clubs with necessary skills to mobilize community water end users in positive hygiene and sanitation behaviors. The CBMS will be trained in preventative maintenance. Living Water Uganda’s Community Engagement team, to institute check and balance and ensure transparency and accountability of O&M funds, will conduct continuous follow-up visits with the community.
Hygiene Promotion
To ensure the community not only has safe water, but also has the know-how to maintain it, the Living Water Uganda team conducted a school WASH baseline survey to help guide and establish the hygiene and sanitation situation of the school. The study revealed that the school had low sanitation coverage with the pupil to latrine ratio being 58:1, which is above the national pupil: latrine ratio of 39:1. This, coupled with the lack of hand washing facilities, next to inadequate latrine facilities, and lack of clean, safe water within the school facility, posed extreme health risks to the students and the community of Coleb Primary School. Inevitably, water-related diseases such as typhoid, cholera, malaria and respiratory diseases were common. The children were walking long distances, approximately three kilometers, to the community valley dam to collect water, which drew away valuable time from class-related work. The school performance, enrollment and attendance were all also affected as school dropout rates soared. To help end their seemingly hopeless situation, the Living Water Hygiene Promotion (HP) team conducted a WASH baseline survey feed back meeting hat was attended by 27 people (17 teachers, 4 parents and 6 members of SMC). The feedback provided an opportunity to highlight the school sanitation situation to the school stakeholders, while also highlighting health risks and opportunities and propose a beneficial hygiene promotion approach. Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) tests were also conducted and revised and a School Health Club (SHC) formed. The School Health Club consisting of 15 members, including 10 boys and 5 girls is being trained in Child Hygiene and Sanitation Training approach to impart hygiene and sanitation skills. The School Sanitation Club is also conducting weekly sanitation parades.
Community Member Interview
"The reason why we requested Living Water Uganda several times for a water source was because the only source nearest to the school was the community valley dam, located three kilometers away. The other source is a hand-dug pond that requires pupils to cross the road, pre-disposing them to traffic accidents. The school enrollment, attendance and performance was adversely affected. Thank you for this well." – 43-year-old community member and head teacher, Kansiime
