Clean water project transforms learning at Kamuli makeshift primary school

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Deep in the village of Nawansanso in Kamuli district, within the Busoga subregion, a narrow, dusty footpath leads to a makeshift school.

The classrooms consist of timber frames patched with iron sheets, and on some days, teachers hold lessons under the shade of an old mango tree, its wide branches offering the only reliable cover.

For years, pupils fetched water from distant swamps before settling on the uneven wooden benches. Hygiene was poor, and the struggle for clean water overshadowed any dreams of learning.

Now, the sh194 million solar-powered water project launched in August 2025 is changing the situation. The arrival of a reliable solar-powered clean-water system, with taps, a storage tank and piped access, has turned the fragile school into a symbol of possibility for hundreds of children.

Shamim Kyakuwaire, the headteacher of Nawansanso Nursery and Primary School located in Kitayunjwa subcounty, Bugabula County, says the school previously faced severe water stress and learners struggled with hygiene.

“We thank the government for thinking about us. The water system has changed the lives of our learners,” she says.

She notes that sanitation and hygiene have greatly improved, particularly for girls who previously feared attending school during their menstrual periods but now have assured access to clean water.

P.5 pupils of Nawansanso nursery and primary school in Kamuli district attending class in a makeshift structure.

According to Kyakuwaire, the project has boosted school enrolment. From 2020 to 2024, the school had only 180 pupils. In 2025, the number has risen to 295, with girls now outnumbering boys.

“The project has benefited the girls so much, and that’s why they are more in number compared to boys,” she explains.

She adds that before the project was installed, learners would be sent to fetch water three to four kilometres away. This is no longer the case, as the tap and tank are now within the school premises, allowing pupils access to water at any time.

“Our pupils could not enter classes on time. The water project has brought more light; everything is progressing,” she says.

According to Richard Lugada, the community development officer in charge of water, sanitation and health in Kamuli district, the multimillion-shilling project is also benefiting the surrounding community.

He says it serves 29,000 people across 13 parishes, noting that each parish previously had only two boreholes, which were insufficient and dried up during dry seasons.

“The community needed a clean water supply; the sources of water were very far and dirty,” he says.

Lugada adds that many households have now built latrines and are planning to install water taps at their homes.

He reveals that toilet coverage has risen from 57 per cent in 2022 to 82 per cent and continues to improve. Nawansanso parish, which includes the villages of Budasi, Bugombe, Busanga and part of Bulago, has seen notable gains in public health.

He says teachers are now more stable in classrooms, and learner performance has improved.

English teacher Deborah Nabule says pupils fall sick less often, which has improved class attendance.

“As teachers, we feel good to teach children who are healthy,” she says.

Nawansanso Nursery and Primary School is a community school founded by the Born-Again Church of Uganda, according to Nabule. She notes that although a lot is still missing, access to water is gradually transforming learners’ lives.

The water project has also supported nearby schools such as Martyrs Mixed Secondary School. Headteacher Bosco Kibekityo says children previously walked long distances in search of clean water, which is no longer necessary.

Sarah Biryer, the senior woman teacher of Nawansanso Primary School, says that before COVID-19, the school population was 800, and after the water project was extended to the school, the number has risen to 1,000. She notes that hygiene has improved, especially among girls who can now even take a shower during lunch time. She thanked the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Water and Environment.

Families who once doubted the future of the school are returning with renewed confidence, hopeful that the investment marks the beginning of wider transformation.

Geofrey Bagaga, a 79-year-old father of seven and husband to three wives, says the entire community is changing for the better because of the project.

Jane Nabirye, a 74-year-old mother of 16 and vice chairperson of Nawansanso village, also says the village is transforming with access to clean water. However, she calls on the government to also fund the improvement of the village roads and the nursery and primary school, which still operate under dilapidated structures.

According to Noeline Muhangi, senior public relations officer at the Ministry of Water and Environment, the project will also support the Parish Development Model. He explains that farmers can now extend water to their farms and plant crops at any time without relying on seasonal rainfall.