Project Status



Project Type:  Protected Spring

Regional Program: Western Uganda WaSH Program

Impact: 200 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Mar 2018

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 03/13/2024

Project Features


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Community Profile

A normal day in Abangi starts as early as 6am when adults get up to work in the morning cool. By lunchtime, the high Ugandan sun is sweltering. Most work out on their farms tending to sugarcane which is sold to the Kinyara Sugar Factory.

After the morning farming, women return home to keep an eye on their children while doing household chores. Lots of men go out to either play soccer or watch it with whoever has a TV set. In the evening hours, men head over to the trading center to socialize with their friends, while women are responsible for getting their children into bed.

This village is unique in the way that people gather around those who are either going through a time of heartache or a time of celebration. They mourn together and party together!

Water

People living in Abangi rely on surface water to meet all of their needs. An open, unprotected spring brings water to the surface. Locals use a thick log as a bridge, suspended over the widest part of the spring. Standing in the middle, one can balance and scoop up the clearest water available - away from the cloudy, algae-covered banks. But not everybody sticks to the bridge. We observed people wading through the water, the same water they drink, while we were there.

But no matter where you stand and fetch your water, there's no doubt this spring is contaminated. The water smells, and people who drink it complain of constant diarrhea. What's worse, there is no treatment clinic within walking distance of Abangi. Mr. Obida John reports that "the village is remote and farm from the health center. The nearest health center is in Nyantonzi, which is about 15 kilometers away."

Sanitation

Less than a quarter of families have pit latrines. Those we observed are built traditionally with wood and mud. The rest of the community practices open defecation; they seek the privacy in farms and brush to relieve themselves. Flies, animals, and rainwater then spreads this contamination throughout Abangi - even to the spring from which they get drinking water.

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 project installation.

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 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.

Spring Protection

Over continued visits to the community, the viability of a hand-dug well diminished. We just couldn’t find a good construction site for a well that would yield safe, clean water. The terrain here is very hilly; a great place for flowing springs but a difficult place to dig a well.

Considering the convenience, reliability, and long history of this spring, the community has decided to unite with us to build a spring protection system for their current source. Once construction is completed, the spring will begin yielding clean drinking water.

There’s a lot of work to be done: Community members will have to help our team clear the land around the spring, diverge the water, build a catchment area with walls allowing for discharge pipes and steps in and out, and dig drainage. Local families will host our spring protection artisans while they begin the sanitation improvements needed for a successful partnership. We all look forward to making these improvements together!


This project is a part of our shared program with The Water Trust. Our team is pleased to provide the reports for this project (formatted and edited for readability) thanks to the hard work of our friends in Uganda.

Project Updates


December, 2018: A Year Later: Abangi-Ndende Community

A year ago, your generous donation enabled us to protect a spring for Abangi-Ndende Community in Uganda. The contributions of incredible monthly donors and others giving directly to The Water Promise allow our local teams to visit project sites throughout the year, strengthening relationships with communities and evaluating the water project over time. These consistent visits allow us to learn vital lessons and hear amazing stories. Read more...




March, 2018: Abangi-Ndende Community Project Complete

Abangi-Ndende Community in Uganda has a new source of safe, clean water thanks to your donation. A spring has been protected from contamination, and now clean water is flowing. Community members have also received training in sanitation and hygiene, and plan to share what they learned with their families and neighbors.

New Knowledge

We trained the newly-formed water sanitation committees (WSC) at the trading center between Abangi and Ejinga for three full days. This was a great location to bring two different communities together to learn about their new water points.

There are 10 members in each committee including chairmen, village health trainers, local council chairs, and opinion leaders. Everyone was respectful and participated well in each activity.

Training taught committee members about their different roles. There is a WSC chairman, vice chairman, secretary, treasurer, two caretakers, and a mobilizer.

Since many locals are illiterate, our training facilitator used simple language and many pictures. Participants also formed small groups to discuss the pictures and what practices they illustrated.

Training raised awareness on keeping water clean, routes of contamination, hand-washing, hygiene practices, and gender. Lessons also equipped the WSC with the knowledge to do their job well, including managing finances and keeping records. They are now effective ambassadors of good hygiene, sanitation, and health in their neighborhoods. They even have a community plan to carry out everything they learned.

"Compared to what we have been using both as a water source and sanitation facilities, this water source is a big achievement, and the knowledge achieved will help us achieve good sanitation," Mr. Omirambe said

Spring Protection

The community was so helpful once our artisans arrived; they provided food, rooms to stay, and volunteered their time to work alongside the artisans. Community members gathered small stones that the artisans used along the sides of the catchment area. With their efforts, clean water was flowing from the spring in no time.

The area is first cleared and leveled out, and we excavate back from the spring eye. Ballast is then mixed with cement and sand to make concrete. A wire mesh is lain on the excavated space before the concrete is added in order to create a strong foundation. This foundation is left to cure overnight.

Next, the walls are raised with brick. The artisan then installs a pipe low in the collection wall to direct water from the reservoir to a concrete or plastic spring box. He then backfills the spring source with hardcore until water is flowing from the discharge pipe. The area around the spring is then landscaped, fenced, and drainage is dug.

A woman cares for the cement as it dries, adding just the right amount of water to keep it from cracking.

We were privileged to be there as some community members came down the path to fetch their first containers of clean water.

"We had been using the open source of water, but with many problems of color and smell due to algae," Mrs. Joyce Ayengo told us.

"However, this water point is protected. Our children were never safe moving across sugarcane plantations in search of safe drinking water... now, the water point has been brought closer to our homes."




September, 2017: Abangi-Ndende Community Project Underway

Abangi-Ndende Community in Uganda will soon have a source of clean water, thanks to your generous donation. A spring is being protected, and the community will attend sessions on sanitation and hygiene practices. Together, these resources will go a long way toward stopping the spread of disease in the area. We just posted a report including information about the community, project details, and pictures. Please look there to read about how the community decided a spring protection system is the best solution for their area. We’ll keep you informed as the work continues!

Thank You for partnering with us to unlock potential!




Project Photos


Project Type

Springs are water sources that come from deep underground, where the water is filtered through natural layers until it is clean enough to drink. Once the water pushes through the surface of the Earth, however, outside elements like waste and runoff can contaminate the water quickly. We protect spring sources from contamination with a simple waterproof cement structure surrounding layers of clay, stone, and soil. This construction channels the spring’s water through a discharge pipe, making water collection easier, faster, and cleaner. Each spring protection also includes a chlorine dispenser at the waterpoint so community members can be assured that the water they are drinking is entirely safe. Learn more here!


A Year Later: Abangi-Ndende Community

December, 2018

The water that Thomas Katwijuke drinks every day tastes great now that it comes from a protected spring!

Keeping The Water Promise

There's an incredible community of monthly donors who have come alongside you in supporting clean water in Abangi-Ndende Community.

This giving community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Abangi-Ndende Community maintain access to safe, reliable water. Together, they keep The Water Promise.

We’re confident you'll love joining this world-changing group committed to sustainability!

A year ago, your generous donation enabled us to protect a spring for Abangi-Ndende Community in Uganda. The contributions of incredible monthly donors and others giving directly to The Water Promise allow our local teams to visit project sites throughout the year, strengthening relationships with communities and evaluating the water project over time. These consistent visits allow us to learn vital lessons and hear amazing stories – and we’re excited to share this one from local team member Stephen Kwikiriza with you.


The community members of Abangi-Ndende no longer suffer from waterborne diseases like diarrhea and dysentery because they have clean water at their protected spring.

Children in the village used to suffer from skin diseases such as scabies because they to bathed in dirty water, said Hellen Oraru. She said that problems like that and diarrheal disease have declined in the time since the spring was protected.

The protected spring

We observed that people here have adopted improved hygiene and sanitation practices that they learned from the various trainings.

"We now wash our hands with soap and have constructed latrines so that our children do not fall sick," one person told us.

Protection of the spring is only one step along the journey toward sustainable access to clean water. The Water Project is committed to consistent monitoring of each water source. Our monitoring and evaluation program, made possible by donors like you, allows us to maintain our relationships with communities by visiting up to 4 times each year to ensure that the water points are safe and reliable.

This is just one of the many ways that we monitor projects and communicate with you. Additionally, you can always check the functionality status and our project map to see how all of our water points are performing, based on our consistent monitoring data.

One project is just a drop in the bucket towards ending the global water crisis, but the ripple effects of this project are truly astounding. This project in Abangi-Ndende Community is changing many lives.

Community members accessing the water point

Thomas Katwijuke had another great example of positive change. He told us that his family now drinks clean water which does not taste salty, unlike the water they used to drink. This clear, tasty water is available thanks to the spring protection.

This is only possible because of the web of support and trust built between The Water Project, our local teams, the community, and you. We are excited to stay in touch with this community and support their journey with safe water.

Read more about The Water Promise and how you can help.


Navigating through intense dry spells, performing preventative maintenance, conducting quality repairs when needed and continuing to assist community leaders to manage water points are all normal parts of keeping projects sustainable. The Water Promise community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Abangi-Ndende Community maintain access to safe, reliable water.

We’d love for you to join this world-changing group committed to sustainability.

The most impactful way to continue your support of Abangi-Ndende Community – and hundreds of other places just like this – is by joining our community of monthly givers.

Your monthly giving will help provide clean water, every month... keeping The Water Promise.


Contributors

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Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
1 individual donor(s)