WaterAid project lifts Namayumba from despair
Apr 15, 2007
FOR only two wheel barrows of sand, two bags of water proof cement, mud and reusable moulds, five households can get a 1500-litre tank to harvest and store drinking water. <br>
By Moses Mulondo
FOR only two wheel barrows of sand, two bags of water proof cement, mud and reusable moulds, five households can get a 1500-litre tank to harvest and store drinking water.
Integrated Rural Development Initiative (IRDI) in collaboration with WaterAid have improved access to clean water for the people of Namayumba, in Wakiso district.
This was done by promoting the construction of pot-like tanks in households, improving the livelihood of 1,560 of the 3,000 people in Namayumba sub-county, one of the least reached areas for water in Wakiso district.
“They have come, stayed, and left a mark. The impact they have caused has overwhelmingly improved the standard of living of my people,†said Edward Kasumba, Namayumba LC3 chairman.
This was at a ceremony to mark the completion of the first phase of the project on World Water Day.
According to the area district councillor, Jasper Muwonge, Namayumba is the least served sub-county in the district with a safe water coverage of only 29 per cent trailing behind the district average coverage of 55 per cent.
“This project has actually brought salvation in the area of water supply and sanitation to the people of Namayumba,†Muwonge said. Situated along Hoima Road, Namayumba’s population of about 3,000 people has been lacking safe water and adequate sanitation for some time.
The WaterAid project involves making water tanks and shallow wells, building toilets, bathrooms, drying racks, kitchens and sensitisation of residents about safe hygiene practices.
But the primary goal of the project is utilising rain water to increase access to adequate and safe water at household level so as to reduce stress associated with walking long distances for water and the incidence of water-related diseases.
The water tanks promoted are locally made, making them cheaper for those who may want to install them on their own.
IRDI is implementing Namayumba Integrated Rain Water Harvesting Project on behalf of WaterAid.
In June last year WaterAid organised a five-day workshop to educate the locals on how to construct the tanks, also called mortar rain jars as well as creating awareness about rainwater harvesting as an affordable means of increasing accessibility to water.
The first phase covered the most disadvantaged parish of Kitayita. Over 40 medium water tanks and two extra-large tanks had been built.
Two new wells had been dug, and two rehabilitated. One hundred and ten toilets, 121 bathrooms and 151 kitchens and dish washing and drying racks had been built.
The project agents embarked on creating awareness about the dangers of poor hygiene and encouraging residents to improve sanitation standards.
Muwonge said the first phase of the project has lifted Namayumba’s water coverage to 62% from 50%. “We, however, expect the coverage to reach 72% by the end of the project,†Muwonge said.
The project’s technical officer, Ronald Ssebuliba said that over sh59m have been spent on the first phase. Muwonge commended WaterAid for financing numerous projects in the district, which have positively impacted on the people.
WaterAid has been operating in Uganda since 1983 and IRDI is its new partner.
IRDI has been involved in rainwater harvesting for agriculture and domestic use since 1994.
FOR only two wheel barrows of sand, two bags of water proof cement, mud and reusable moulds, five households can get a 1500-litre tank to harvest and store drinking water.
Integrated Rural Development Initiative (IRDI) in collaboration with WaterAid have improved access to clean water for the people of Namayumba, in Wakiso district.
This was done by promoting the construction of pot-like tanks in households, improving the livelihood of 1,560 of the 3,000 people in Namayumba sub-county, one of the least reached areas for water in Wakiso district.
“They have come, stayed, and left a mark. The impact they have caused has overwhelmingly improved the standard of living of my people,†said Edward Kasumba, Namayumba LC3 chairman.
This was at a ceremony to mark the completion of the first phase of the project on World Water Day.
According to the area district councillor, Jasper Muwonge, Namayumba is the least served sub-county in the district with a safe water coverage of only 29 per cent trailing behind the district average coverage of 55 per cent.
“This project has actually brought salvation in the area of water supply and sanitation to the people of Namayumba,†Muwonge said. Situated along Hoima Road, Namayumba’s population of about 3,000 people has been lacking safe water and adequate sanitation for some time.
The WaterAid project involves making water tanks and shallow wells, building toilets, bathrooms, drying racks, kitchens and sensitisation of residents about safe hygiene practices.
But the primary goal of the project is utilising rain water to increase access to adequate and safe water at household level so as to reduce stress associated with walking long distances for water and the incidence of water-related diseases.
The water tanks promoted are locally made, making them cheaper for those who may want to install them on their own.
IRDI is implementing Namayumba Integrated Rain Water Harvesting Project on behalf of WaterAid.
In June last year WaterAid organised a five-day workshop to educate the locals on how to construct the tanks, also called mortar rain jars as well as creating awareness about rainwater harvesting as an affordable means of increasing accessibility to water.
The first phase covered the most disadvantaged parish of Kitayita. Over 40 medium water tanks and two extra-large tanks had been built.
Two new wells had been dug, and two rehabilitated. One hundred and ten toilets, 121 bathrooms and 151 kitchens and dish washing and drying racks had been built.
The project agents embarked on creating awareness about the dangers of poor hygiene and encouraging residents to improve sanitation standards.
Muwonge said the first phase of the project has lifted Namayumba’s water coverage to 62% from 50%. “We, however, expect the coverage to reach 72% by the end of the project,†Muwonge said.
The project’s technical officer, Ronald Ssebuliba said that over sh59m have been spent on the first phase. Muwonge commended WaterAid for financing numerous projects in the district, which have positively impacted on the people.
WaterAid has been operating in Uganda since 1983 and IRDI is its new partner.
IRDI has been involved in rainwater harvesting for agriculture and domestic use since 1994.