Rehabilitation Project
The report below from our partner in the field gives some great information on the construction of a new hand-dug well in the Mihaguzi Mbiise community in Uganda:
Background:
Kihaguzi Mbiise is a small village located 15 kilometers from Masindi town centre on the road that lead to Murchison Falls National Park. Located in Kihaguzi parish, Pakanyi sub county, this village is known for cereal production as it is endowed with fertile soils. Everyone in the village lends a hand working the garden plots, including the children over the holidays. However, residents of this community lack access to clean water. Majority of the community rely on fetching water from open sources whose waterway are shared with wildlife from the National Park. Poor sanitation conditions like open defecation in the bush instead of using a latrine has made communities vulnerable to waterborne diseases like bilharzia, diarhorrea and dysentery
The Water Trust (TWT) will have an intensive program to provide access to clean water and sanitation in this village. The community will participate in excavating and constructing the water source. In the meantime the aim is that all households own an improved latrine. Many households do not use a latrine but use the bush. Due to the practice of open defecation, faeces are spread all over the village and contaminate open water sources. Our aim is to ensure that the community is able to live a healthy life, free of preventable waterborne diseases. We strive to work in partnership with the community to access safe clean water and improved sanitation.
Construction Progress:
May 6, 2014
Benya the technician has just been reassigned this week to work with the community of Kihaguzi Mbiise.
May 15, 2014
Community participation of Kihaguzi Mbiise has been tremendous Benya and Asuman the new technician excavating the well to 31 ft over the week. This effort has been equally impressive given that the formation of the well is hard and according to Benya the technician, the recharge looks good. Well done to the active participation of the community of Kihaguzi Mbiise during the rainy season!
In addition to the new well, our partner in the field conducts training in sanitation and hygiene, including encouraging and helping the community install latrines which help prevent the spread of disease.
Sanitation and hygiene progress
The main objectives of TWT’s Sanitation and Hygiene Program are the use of latrines and observing proper hygiene practices as these goals are inherently connected to the provision of clean water. Open defecation, water storage in unclean containers and the absence of hand washing at critical times are all possible contaminates to the water supply at the household level. TWT leverages this relationship, by requiring each participating village to achieve Open Defecation Free status (defined by one latrine per household), prior to the pump installation for a shallow hand dug well. Using the immediate gratification of clean water as an impetus, TWT works toward sustainable, interdisciplinary WASH development.
The Water Trust’s social program includes the assignment of one Community Development Officer (CDO) per village. The CDO encourages each household to build an ideal homestead that includes: a latrine with hand-washing facility, a rubbish pit, separate structure for animals and drying rack for dishes.
Community Led Total Sanitation
The Water Trust implements the Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach with each of our village partners. TWT facilitates a CLTS session in which we aim 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 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.
