Community meeting in Nyakasagazi village
Masindi is a muilti-cultural district; home to 56 ethnic groups. As a result of many years of insurgency in northern Uganda, the district has received an influx of internally displaced persons exerting more pressure on land and water supply infrastructure.
Work in Masindi
WaterAid has been working with Masindi district local government since June 2006. At this time safe water coverage in the area was 52.7%. Currently WaterAid contributes 15% of the total district annual investment in water and sanitation sector and this support has greatly contributed to the current district safe water coverage which now stands at 64.7%, and latrine coverage of 68%.
Travel to Nyakasagaizi Village
Nyakasagazi is one of the hardest to reach villages in the district
While in Masindi the WaterAid team visited Nkakasagazi village, Pakanyi sub-county, 35 km away from the district headquarters. On arrival to the village, the visitors were welcomed by joyous community members playing traditional music and dances.
Everyone was happy the visitors joined in with the singing and dancing: “As you can see we don’t have money to pay you for all that you supported us with,” the community members sang,“this is why we are dancing for you, expressing our appreciation for the water source nearby.”
Every household in the village has a pit latrine and a hand washing facility.
Before WaterAid intervention, Nyakasagazi was among the villages in the district with very low sanitation coverage and open defecation was normal for the majority. Ever since intervention, the village has become a model for the whole district. It is a good example of how extemporary leadership leads to better sanitation. Though grass thatched, all households in the village are very neat, have pit latrines, dry racks and hand washing facilities.
Community borehole
Left: The only source of safe drinking water in the village built with WaterAid support. Right: Barbara Frost testing the community water hand pump.
Through WaterAid's support, village members no longer have to walk long distances in search for water because they have a nearby borehole serving 89 households, which is treasured like a god. For proper operation and maintenance, a management committee of seven people is in place and each household contributes 2000 Uganda shillings (about 50 pence) to the operation and maintenance fund annually.
John Kisa, the chairperson of the Facility User’s Committee says: “Money collected is used to service the borehole, potting a fence as well as oiling the facility, however we call village meetings to discuss expenditure of the money spent.”
Visiting Kitonozi Primary School
The WaterAid team visited Kitonozi Primary School, located in Bujanga sub-county. With 400 pupils, this is one of the schools where water, sanitation and hygiene projects have been implemented with funding from BandAid and support from WaterAid. Through this support, the school has acquired a girls ventilated improved pit latrine which has a shower room and a stance for the physically disabled pupils. In addition, the school has a borehole which is also serves the nearby community.
Left: Girls sanitary block constructed by the district with WaterAid support. Right: WaterAid visitors from London receiving gifts from the school’s head teacher as a sign of appreciation.
Lilian Kajujubwe, the school head teacher, is so grateful that school pupils no longer have to miss classes in search for water. Adolescent girls are happy too because they have a shower room and can easily collect water from the borehole nearby in the school playground. The school has a Schools Health Club where members talk to their peers about personal hygiene, water and sanitation, and also take the message to their families, thus becoming sanitation change agents in their communities.
Women’s Club building rain water harvesting tanks
This women’s group was trained by WaterAid to construct rain water harvesting tanks.
The WaterAid team visited Karujubu Community Maizi Bwomezi (Water is Life) Club which has a membership of 60 women who have built Ferro cement rainwater harvesting tanks. Mrs Kato Joyce, chairperson of the club, says: “So far 38 members have benefited, this has saved them from using water from a nearby stream contaminated with chemicals from the sugar cane plantation.” She adds that the group is open to all people but everyone joining must have a pit latrine and a drying rack. Members of the group have acquired skills of constructing water tanks and their services have been extended to nearby villages. All group members are very grateful to WaterAid.
Meeting with the istrict executive
The day ended with a field debrief with the district local government executives from both the technical and political wings. The discussion focused on a number of issues including sustainability of WASH investment and planning for menstrual hygiene in schools as an avenue of keeping schoolgirls in school, thus a contribution to population control in the area.
The day ended with a meeting with the district executive who provide extemporary leadership for better sanitation.
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