Exceptional sanitation, hygiene contributors to be awarded

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The Ministry of Water and Environment, in collaboration with the Uganda Water and Sanitation Network (UWASNET), is set to recognise exceptional contributors in the WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) sector.

The Uganda WASH Impact and Influence Awards aim to celebrate excellence, innovation, and significant contributions from individuals, private enterprises, civil society organisations, media and other stakeholders dedicated to enhancing Uganda’s WASH sector.

These awards are intended to foster healthy competition, inspire motivation and encourage further investment in the field.

This initiative comes at a crucial time, as tackling WASH challenges is vital for achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Six, with less than six years remaining until 2030.

The United Nations’ SDG 6 calls for clean water and sanitation for all.

According to the 2022 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey, only 78% and 89% of rural and urban households, respectively have access to an improved water source while a substantial proportion of 8% still practice open defecation.

Call to enhance efforts

During the inauguration of the awards at the conclusion of the 14th CSOs Forum held at the Golf Course Hotel in Kampala on October 4, 2024, water ministry permanent secretary Alfred Okidi Okot said initiatives like these allow for the celebration of the accomplishments of various stakeholders while inspiring others to further the WASH programme.

He encouraged all participants in the sector to view these awards not only as a form of recognition but also as a call to enhance their efforts.

He highlighted the introduction of a special category aimed at acknowledging innovations led by youth.

"As I mentioned, the biggest constituency, the youth should be considered, especially those involved with WASH in our educational institutions," he added.

He reaffirmed the ministry's dedication to working collaboratively with all stakeholders.

"The journey towards achieving universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene services is long, but with sustained partnership, political will and adequate resource allocation, I'm confident we will succeed," he added.

The Uganda WASH Impact and Influence Awards will encompass five categories: policy influence; research, learning and innovation; investment and impact; media; and special recognition.

Permanent Secretary Ministry of Water and Environment, Afred Okot Okidi (Centre) with other officials after the launch of the Uganda WASH Impact and Influence Awards. (Credit: Jeff Andrew Lule)

Why honour people?

Yunia Musaazi, the executive director of UWASNET, emphasized the importance of civil society in acknowledging and honouring those who excel and support their initiatives.

She believes that this will strengthen and enhance the collective efforts of all stakeholders to ensure access to water and sanitation for every Ugandan.

Musaazi highlighted the challenges posed by a significant funding gap, which hinders the expansion of WASH services, especially in rural regions.

She mentioned that the country requires approximately shillings three trillion annually, to achieve its WASH objectives by 2030.

UWASNET consists of around 170 civil society organisations focused on water, sanitation, and environmental projects. Musaazi also noted that three out of 10 Ugandans have access to clean water, with over 10 million people lacking basic sanitation facilities.

Martin Kityo, the liaison connection manager at UWASNET, announced that there will be regional launches for the awards across the country.

"These awards are going to be celebrated annually, starting June 2025 when we shall be holding the first awards ceremony. Now that we're done with the launch, we shall be having a call for nominations. We shall be having the specialisation processes, the vetting processes, and then the awarding ceremony," he noted.

He emphasized the importance of strong collaboration among various sectors to tackle the challenges related to WASH.

Preventable diseases challenge

During the event, State Minister for Primary Healthcare Magaret Muhanga highlighted that poor hygiene practices and the lack of WASH facilities, including handwashing stations, have led to outbreaks of numerous preventable diseases, such as cholera and diarrhoea, which are avoidable.

She noted that 75% of the health issues addressed by the health ministry are preventable, frequently stemming from issues like the consumption of unsafe water and residing in unsanitary conditions, which can result in a range of health problems.

“This is about personal responsibility. People should be responsible for their own lives because at least everybody has information that they have to wash their hands after visiting the toilets, you need to drink clean safe water, all this information is well known but you know human beings are just defiant in nature,” he added.

Dr Katja Kerschbaumer, the head of development co-operation at the Austrian Embassy, emphasized that despite numerous initiatives and accomplishments, significant progress is still needed to reach the 2030 SDG 6 target of 100%.