Project Area: Mpigi
Update Period: 4th Quarter, January – March 2010
Statistical Overview of Quarter:
Shallow Hand Dug Wells: 2 wells
Shallow Drilled Wells: 2 wells
Rain Water Harvesting Tank (20,000 litres): 2 tanks
Village Improvement Campaigns: 2 communities
Communal EcoSan Latrine: 1 latrine
Household EcoSan Latrines: 10 latrines
Domestic Water Jars: 55 jars
Rehabilitated Water Sources: 30 water sources
Approximate Number of People Benefiting from Programmes: 16,866
Programme Activity:
1) Shallow Well Construction: The Busoga Trust Mpigi office constructed two shallow hand dug wells and two shallow drilled sources during the fourth quarter. All of the water sources were funded by the UK based organisation, WaterAid. The sources were built in four communities in Muduuma sub-county, Mpigi district. All the wells were supposed to be drilled, but due to high water tables, the technology was changed to hand digging of two sources. Water and sanitation committees have been organised in the four communities to help maintain the well sites and promote hygienic behaviour amongst the population. The water sources are now serving approximately 1,035 people.
2) Rain Water Harvesting Tanks: Rain water harvesting tanks were constructed at two schools in Nkozi and Muduuma sub-counties. The two tanks are constructed using ferro-cement and have a capacity of 20,000 litres each. The total number of students and school personnel who will be using the tanks is roughly 826 people. Having a water source on site will no longer require students to be sent during class time to collect water at far away sources. In addition to the tanks being built, school health clubs were formed and trained to help keep the school clean and encourage their peers to practice healthy behaviour. The projects at the schools were funded by WaterAid.
3) Village Improvement Campaigns: Busoga Trust, in partnership with WaterAid and Mpigi Local Government, conducted two village improvement campaigns in the communities of Busasi and Nakibanga. Comprehensive health education and household mobilization was carried out to encourage residents to improve the hygienic standards in their homes. Additionally, pick axes and shovels were provided to help people to dig pit latrines. The interventions led to a great improvement in both communities. In Busasi, 25 new latrines were constructed, 30 drying racks built, 32 hand washing facilities installed, 26 new rubbish pits dug and 10 bath shelters constructed. As for Nakibanga, 17 households constructed new latrines, 45 hand washing facilities were installed and 50 drying racks constructed. Some problems with mobilization were encountered during the programme because many people were busy in their gardens due to it being the rainy season. Local politics also posed a problem because elected officials are hesitant to strictly enforce the public health act due to the fear of losing votes in the forthcoming elections.
4) Ecosan Latrines: Mpigi district sits along the edge of Lake Victoria and there is a great need to limit the human pollution of the lake. Busoga Trust, with support from WaterAid, helped to construct ten EcoSan latrines with the intention of improving latrine usage by the population living along the lakeshore. Busoga Trust provided non-local materials such as cement, iron bars and wire mesh to communities and residents supplied locally available materials such as sand and bricks. Following construction of the latrines the community members were sensitized on the usage and maintenance of Ecosan latrines. The problem faced by Busoga Trust staff during sensitizations was the acceptance of the new method of waste disposal which involves the separation of feces and urine. Additional sensitizations had to be conducted. The latrines are used by 79 people and have increased the number of families with latrines at the lake shores.
5) Domestic Water Jars: Busoga Trust in Mpigi aims to increase access to safe water among vulnerable members of society such as the disabled, people living with HIV/AIDS, child headed families, the elderly and widows. 55 domestic water jars have been constructed in several communities in Nkozi and Muduuma sub-counties by women trained by the Mpigi office and 385 people are now benefitting from the jars. Busoga Trust staff sensitized the recipients on good hygiene and sanitation practices before water jars were constructed for them.
6) Rehabilitation of Water Sources: 30 dysfunctional water sources were rehabilitated by the Busoga Trust Mpigi office in communities of Nkozi, Muduuma, Buwama and Kammengo sub-counties. The targeted water sources had been constructed by other development partners in the past, but they were no longer working. The communities in which these sources were located applied to Busoga Trust through the Local Council for assistance after many cases of dysentery had been reported to the nearby health units. The 30 renovated water sources are now serving 1,337 households. Support for the rehabilitations came from WaterAid and Mpigi Local Government. New water and sanitation committees were selected and trained in the communities to help maintain the water sources and prevent routes of disease transmission. The prevalence of water borne diseases has reduced at the health units since the water sources were repaired.
7) Additional Works:
To View Picture from Masindi, Click on the Following Link: