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 Kinyara West community in Uganda:
Background:
Kinyara West is famous for producing grain. Located in Kigya parish, Kigumba sub-county, Kiryandongo District the area also grows beans and cassava. Some areas are rich with very fertile soils and good yields, many people migrated to this village who caused a population outburst and scramble for the resources like water and demand for health services which are not enough. This densely populated village does not have access to clean and safe water. The nearest protected source is located 3km away which makes fetching clean water a six kilometer journey
Mr. Mugumya John 46, a father of seven children who migrated to this village to farm says that this village would be a better place when clean water is brought near them. At the moment they collect turbid water from open sources which are highly contaminated and are the major cause of waterborne diseases.
The community was compelled to address this issue of access to clean water following a sensitization program on one of the local radio stations and requested the village chairman Mr. Emilio Adyaka to write a letter to The Water Trust to request for a second hand dug well on the other end of the village. He noted that the community was already in the process of mobilizing the locally available materials such as the bricks, hard core and sand.
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
Benya the technician had begun to excavate the site with the community but hit water at 6ft which meant that the well had to be re-sighted. The second attempt was much more promising with the team reaching 37 ft.
July 18, 2014
Benya has worked hard with the community volunteers this week to reach a water column of 7ft. The soil formation at this site is hard on one side and soft on the other making the excavation process a little tricky. Kagwa the TWT technical supervisor has advised that Benya continues to work towards achieving an ideal water column of 10ft- 12 ft and to start deepening the well.
Sanitation and Hygiene
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.
