Bujagali power project changes lives
Jan 26, 2009
Hadija Kezaala, a single mother of seven, describes herself as a hard working and enterprising woman, who is ready to take on any challenge that comes her way.
By Ibrahim Kasita in Jinja
Hadija Kezaala, a single mother of seven, describes herself as a hard working and enterprising woman, who is ready to take on any challenge that comes her way.
So, when the 250MW Bujagali Hydropower Project started in August 2007, she was optimistic that good tidings would come with it, especially because her household would be directly affected by the construction of the dam.
It’s no wonder therefore that Kezaala topped the contenders for the model homestead competition aimed at improving health, sanitation and hygiene of the people affected by the project organised by Bujagali Energy Limited (BEL).
Her homestead emerged the best with 82 points, beating 46 other contenders from four villages on the eastern bank of River Nile.
Kezaala admits that this was one challenge she was glad to take on because the competition has changed local perception on health, sanitation and hygiene.
She lauds BEL efforts in sensitising the community on the need to observe hygiene and cleanliness in their homesteads.
“There is new interest in hard work and cleanliness from most village mates because they want to be viewed as model homesteads in the community,†she said.
Kezaala lives in Bujagali village, a walking distance of the dam project. In December she won herself a cow, a box of washing soap and three mosquito nets for maintaining the cleanest and most hygienic home on the east bank of the River Nile.
To her, it is the change in lifestyle of her neighbours that astonishes her most.
“Cleanliness is the biggest change. “Ever since these BEL people came in, villagers take their personal and home hygiene more seriously,†Kezaala observed.
Jinja district health officials, noted water and hygiene related diseases like cholera, bilharzia, diarrhoea and typhoid were a common occurrence in this once deeply remote neighbourhood.
These avoidable illnesses are largely due to ignorance and negligence; habits that the BEL sensitisation campaigns have helped address.
Since July 2008, BEL has been conducting health sensitisation campaigns on hygiene and sanitation among the locals.
The campaigns have been run by village volunteers who were monitoring and evaluating households to ensure they maintained the highest hygienic standards, Zakalia Lubega, the BEL team leader, community liaison, said.
“The indicators for a well planned and hygienic home included the presence of a well maintained main house, kitchen, compound sun table, pit latrine, bath place, safe water chain and personal hygiene,†he said.
He added that contending households were awarded marks following these indicators. A similar campaign conducted on the west bank of the River Nile bore similar stories of gratitude and a change in lifestyles.
Tapenesi Naigaga from Buloba Central emerged winner with 86%. Like Kezaala, she also won a cow, a box of washing soap and three mosquito nets.
She said the campaign has greatly changed the entire community. “People now appreciate how having a clean and hygienic homestead can save life and make one more productive.â€
Naigaga beat 46 contenders to the crown. The health campaigns and recognition of excelling households go to show the transformation that is taking place among communities affected by the Bujagali power project and the effectiveness of BEL’s corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Coming alongside the health and sanitation campaigns are infrastructure development that has seen the roads upgraded easing accessibility to social service centres like schools, BEL officials said.
Lubega said there has been marked improvement on how the community handled health and hygiene matters since the campaigns begun.
“There is a pit latrine in almost every household. hand washing with soap is now common and most homesteads have drying racks and waste disposal pits,†she said.
Other visible improvements, she said, include the referral of pregnant women to clinics for antenatal care, speedy identification of sicknesses and recommendation for treatment and sensitivity to the water-chain.
“The community is now more aware of the steps to take to make sure the people are healthier,†Lubega said.
Explaining the genesis of the projects that have brought pride and joy to the likes of Kezaala and Naigaga, BEL’s social and environmental manager, Patrick Mwesigye, said the health and hygiene promotion programme, which is under the Community Development Action Plan is part of the project’s broader Social and Environmental Action Plans. He said these projects are aimed at addressing issues that may arise out of the implementation of the power project.
“Our evaluation shows that the communities have been highly receptive to the health promotion campaign. We want to make an annual campaign and covers a wider population in the project affected areas,†Mwesigye said.
During the same prize giving occasion, 87 village health team coordinators, received bicycles worth over sh9.5m to facilitate their movement.
Hadija Kezaala, a single mother of seven, describes herself as a hard working and enterprising woman, who is ready to take on any challenge that comes her way.
So, when the 250MW Bujagali Hydropower Project started in August 2007, she was optimistic that good tidings would come with it, especially because her household would be directly affected by the construction of the dam.
It’s no wonder therefore that Kezaala topped the contenders for the model homestead competition aimed at improving health, sanitation and hygiene of the people affected by the project organised by Bujagali Energy Limited (BEL).
Her homestead emerged the best with 82 points, beating 46 other contenders from four villages on the eastern bank of River Nile.
Kezaala admits that this was one challenge she was glad to take on because the competition has changed local perception on health, sanitation and hygiene.
She lauds BEL efforts in sensitising the community on the need to observe hygiene and cleanliness in their homesteads.
“There is new interest in hard work and cleanliness from most village mates because they want to be viewed as model homesteads in the community,†she said.
Kezaala lives in Bujagali village, a walking distance of the dam project. In December she won herself a cow, a box of washing soap and three mosquito nets for maintaining the cleanest and most hygienic home on the east bank of the River Nile.
To her, it is the change in lifestyle of her neighbours that astonishes her most.
“Cleanliness is the biggest change. “Ever since these BEL people came in, villagers take their personal and home hygiene more seriously,†Kezaala observed.
Jinja district health officials, noted water and hygiene related diseases like cholera, bilharzia, diarrhoea and typhoid were a common occurrence in this once deeply remote neighbourhood.
These avoidable illnesses are largely due to ignorance and negligence; habits that the BEL sensitisation campaigns have helped address.
Since July 2008, BEL has been conducting health sensitisation campaigns on hygiene and sanitation among the locals.
The campaigns have been run by village volunteers who were monitoring and evaluating households to ensure they maintained the highest hygienic standards, Zakalia Lubega, the BEL team leader, community liaison, said.
“The indicators for a well planned and hygienic home included the presence of a well maintained main house, kitchen, compound sun table, pit latrine, bath place, safe water chain and personal hygiene,†he said.
He added that contending households were awarded marks following these indicators. A similar campaign conducted on the west bank of the River Nile bore similar stories of gratitude and a change in lifestyles.
Tapenesi Naigaga from Buloba Central emerged winner with 86%. Like Kezaala, she also won a cow, a box of washing soap and three mosquito nets.
She said the campaign has greatly changed the entire community. “People now appreciate how having a clean and hygienic homestead can save life and make one more productive.â€
Naigaga beat 46 contenders to the crown. The health campaigns and recognition of excelling households go to show the transformation that is taking place among communities affected by the Bujagali power project and the effectiveness of BEL’s corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Coming alongside the health and sanitation campaigns are infrastructure development that has seen the roads upgraded easing accessibility to social service centres like schools, BEL officials said.
Lubega said there has been marked improvement on how the community handled health and hygiene matters since the campaigns begun.
“There is a pit latrine in almost every household. hand washing with soap is now common and most homesteads have drying racks and waste disposal pits,†she said.
Other visible improvements, she said, include the referral of pregnant women to clinics for antenatal care, speedy identification of sicknesses and recommendation for treatment and sensitivity to the water-chain.
“The community is now more aware of the steps to take to make sure the people are healthier,†Lubega said.
Explaining the genesis of the projects that have brought pride and joy to the likes of Kezaala and Naigaga, BEL’s social and environmental manager, Patrick Mwesigye, said the health and hygiene promotion programme, which is under the Community Development Action Plan is part of the project’s broader Social and Environmental Action Plans. He said these projects are aimed at addressing issues that may arise out of the implementation of the power project.
“Our evaluation shows that the communities have been highly receptive to the health promotion campaign. We want to make an annual campaign and covers a wider population in the project affected areas,†Mwesigye said.
During the same prize giving occasion, 87 village health team coordinators, received bicycles worth over sh9.5m to facilitate their movement.