Rehabilitation Project
Our implementing partner reports...
When the team arrived, community members were utilizing a river located two kilometers away from the community, to meet all of their water needs, and because of this, residents were suffering from malaria, diarrhea and severe dehydration. This river marks the boundary of Uganda and Rwanda. It is narrated by the community members around that during the Rwanda genocide many dead bodies, killed in the genocide, were thrown in this river and yet they continued drinking the water. This is one of the typical water sources being used for swimming, bathing, cattle, and for drinking. During the team’s stay, community members assembled a water committee consisting of nine men and one woman who are responsible for developing a sustainability strategy in conjunction with the LWI sustainability coordinator. The majority of community members sustain their families by farming and selling excess produce at local markets. The nearest school is a primary school located in the community, whose students, teachers and administrative personnel all have access to the new, safe water source. Before leaving the community, the team provided community member, Amos Betungure, with a LWI Uganda contact number in case their well were to fall into disrepair, become subject to vandalism or theft.
The LWI Uganda team had an opportunity to meet with thirty-two year old community member and Deputy Head Teacher, Amos Betungure, who stated, "We have been in great trouble of losing our children, due to stagnant water; in 1992 we lost 62 children due to malaria caused by the dug wells around and within two years now we have lost 7 children who fell and drowned in those same water sources. So we are really very grateful you gave us this protected water source, but we still need more because this one is going to be congested due to the big population. But at least we have a start. Thank you."
During the training, the team addressed the following as the most common community illnesses: Malaria, diarrhea, flue and cough. The most common unhealthy practices are: Most people wash hands from the same water container, few homes boil water, share water source with animals, children swim in water used for consumption and rubbish is disposed of throughout the community. During the hygiene education, the team addressed the following principle issues: Disease transmission, germs, hand washing, proper water saving techniques, healthy and unhealthy practices, diarrhea, Oral Rehydration Solution, community mapping, how to take proper care of the pump and how to keep the water clean.
