October-December, 2014 | ISSUE 4
Ugandans should embrace hand washing with soap
CSOs ask government for water quality testing machines
Vigilance needed to access clean, safe water
Tororo households register success in hand washing
WATER, SANITATION & HYGIENE
JOURNAL
March - June, 2014 | Issue 003
Sanitation: Govt registers success Implication of Land Policies and Laws on Water and Sanitation Rights
Plan Uganda increases access to safe water in Luwero
MINISTERS TO REVIEW CLEAN WATER, SANITATION & HYGIENE PLANS
water is life | March - June, 2014.
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Publisher HAI AGENCY SERVICES LTD JK BUILDING, BEHIND APEX BUILDING NTINDA BLOCK A5, P.O. BOX 24413, KAMPALA Tel: +256414223507/0752500312/0700100035 Email: copolot@haiagency.com Website: www.haiagency.com/ travelugandagp.com In Partnership with: 1. WaterAid Uganda P.O. Box 11759,Kampala (U) Tel: +25641450579717 Fax: +256414505796 Email: wauganda@wateraid.org Website:www.wateraid.org/Uganda 2. Plan Uganda Plot 126, Luthuli Avenue Bugolobi KampalaUganda Tel: +256414305000 Tel: +256414505005 Publishing Director Charles Opolot copolot@haiagency.com Director Justine Ojangole Managing Editor Ceaser Abangirah Business Development Manager Martha Akia Finance: Emmanuel Namawa
Contents Publisher’s word: Clean hands save lives
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Ugandans should embrace hand washing with soap
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CSOs asks government for water quality testing machines
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Water and Environment still need government support
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Vigilance needed to access clean, safe water
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Tororo households register success in hand washing
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South Sudanese refugees adopt hand washing
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President Museveni commissions Run for Water: MTN Kampala Marathon water project in Karamoja
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Case Study Findings: Shifting from galvanised to stainless, plastic pipes
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Legal: Alex Bagada Distribution manager: Sam Okello Design & layout: Peter Mugeni mugeni2010@gmail.com Contributors: James Kiyimba, Joseph Omollo, Martin Okudi, Paul Tajuba, Shabibah Nakirigya Editorial Advisory Board: Ceaser Abangirah, Esther Akello, Grace Alupo, James Kiyimba, Joseph samanda, Mary Namwebe, Paddy Lutalo Print Order 5,000
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers or any other organisation associated with this publication. The publisher does not guarantee the accuracy of content from the contributors and advertisers nor accept the responsibility of any statements herein.
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0713535084 Email: info@stil-group.com Website: www.stil.co.ug
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Water is Life | October-December, 2014
Publisher’s word
Clean hands save lives
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Thousands of children under the age of five die from diarrheal diseases and pneumonia around the country every year. And that is a fact. The other fact is poor sanitation and hygiene is one of the five major causes of deaths in Uganda. Along with safe disposal of human faeces and safe household water treatment, the number of young children dying of diarrheal illnesses can be reduced by washing hands with soap after visiting a latrine and before and after eating food. On Wednesday, October 15, the world marked Global Handwashing Day, as a way to support hand washing and raise awareness about the benefits of hand washing. Now in its sixth year, Global Handwashing Day aims to promote the culture of washing hands with soap as a means of preventing diseases. The first edition in 2008 saw over 120 million children in more than 70 countries around the world wash hands with soap. This year, under the theme ‘Clean hands save lives’, pupils, students, teachers and parents around the country came together to – wash hands. However, hand washing surveys by several stake holders paint a grim picture of the state of affairs.
100 percent in the urban areas have full access clean to water by 2015. However, with a few months to 2015, reports indicate that only 69 percent of the urban population access clean and safe water whilst access to rural water supply stands at 64 percent. This, coupled with lack of cheap soap options for people living in the rural areas, does not help the cause to have clean washed hands on a regular basis. Most of these Ugandans are now blaming the government and non-governmental organisations for looking away as they wallow in hygiene-related problems. But before the government and other nongovernmental organisations come to your rescue, what have you done for yourself, your family and community in regards to hand washing? There are basic hand washing solutions, such as the tippy tap, provided by Plan International, that can be duplicated. These will help keep your family and community safe from germs because ‘clean hands save lives.’
Charles Opolot
On October 15, the world marked Global Handwashing Day, as a way to support hand washing and raise awareness about the benefits of hand washing.
Coordinator-Wash Journal Government made a commitment to ensure that 77 percent of the rural population and
Lets give every one a [CLEAN] hand October-December, 2014 | Water is Life
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Acknowledgment
Children fetch water from a prepaid water meter stand. The cheap water solutions are provided by National Water and Sewarage Corporation.
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Wash Journal Team would like to acknowledge the support of the following Ministries and Organization who have supported the production of this publication by either contributing articles, giving interviews and financial contribution towards its printing and distribution. Our special thanks go to Water Aid Uganda and Plan Uganda for their financial contributions. We would also like to appreciate the contributions from NWSC, giz/KCCA. Ministry of Health P.O. Box 7272 Kampala Uganda Plot 6 Lourdel Rd,Nakasero Tel:256-414 340874/231563/9 Email: info@health.go.ug
Water is Life | October-December, 2014
WaterAid in Uganda P.O. Box 11759,Kampala-Uganda Tel:(256)414505795/7 Fax(+256)414 505796 Email: wauganda@wateraid.org Website: www.wateraid.org/Uganda Plan Uganda Plot126 Luthuli Avenue,Bugolobi Kampala-Uganda Tel:+256-414 305000 Fax:+256 414 505005 UWASNET Plot 6 Mudeke Road,bugolobi Tel:256 414505795 Email: wauganda@wateraid.org Website:www.wateraid.org/Uganda.
Ugandans should embrace hand washing with soap Ugandans should adopt a daily hand washing routine with soap in a move that will save children from diarrheal diseases and acute respiratory infections.
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Hand washing presence in the country currently stands at 32 percent down from 29 percent in 2013, according to Eng. Aaron Kabirizi, the director, Water Development at the Ministry of Water Environment. This means that seven out of every 10 Ugandans do not wash their hands before eating and after visiting the toilet. He was speaking during celebrations to mark the Global Hand Washing Day last week.
through hand washing with soap,” Mr Kabirizi said.
Mr Kabiriza says the figure is still less than the required target of 50 percent required to be achieved before Uganda meets its 2015 millennium development goals (MDGs).
Mr Nsubuga also appealed to corporate companies to support the hand washing campaign through their Corporate Social Responsibility (SCR) activities.
“In 2009, Statistics by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), showed that 94 Ugandan infants die daily due to diarrheal diseases and respiratory infections like acute pneumonia which can be prevented
Pupils wash hands after visiting a latrine. Poor sanitation and hygiene are among the major causes of high infant mortality rate.
The National Coordinator of the Hand washing with soap campaign, Mr Chris Nsubuga said every Ugandan needs to wash hands with soap after visiting the toilet and before feeding children. This practice should be adopted by both people in the rural and urban areas for improved hygiene and sanitation.
A study conducted in 2003 by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, identified poor sanitation and hygiene as some of the major causes of high infant mortality rate in the country.
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CSOs asks government for water quality testing machines Civil society organisations, under their umbrella of Uganda Water and Sanitation Network (UWASNET) have asked government to provide water quality testing machines to save people’s lives.
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Speaking at thefourthNational Wash Civil Society Forum in Kampala, the chairman for UWASNET, Mr Ali Chemisto, said there is a need to provide iron removal machines especially in Northern Uganda because it’s one of the biggest challenges faced. “Iron consumption is one of the biggest challenges when constructing water sources. We fear the minerals in the water may put people’s lives in danger and cause several diseases,” Mr Chemisto said. According to Mr Chemisto,lack of funds has also hindered the need to extend water to some of the remotest parts ofthecountry, urging the ministries of health and education to intervene because they also deal with communities. “Lack of water in schools has affected girl child education during their menstrual periods,” he said. However, the State Minister for Water and Environment, Ms Flavia Munaaba said there is a need to pay more attention to get services and investment to the poorest areas since they are the most affected and that increased investment by stakeholders is required in sanitation and hygiene promotion. “This is the way to go. I urge CSOs and partners in the sector to join hands and push the matter of finance until it is addressed because nothing can be achieved without financial support,” she said, adding thatcommunities should be sensitised to harvest water because currently it still remains one of the main self-supply options and there is a need to invest in it to ensure all people of Uganda are served effectively. This year the civil society total investment increased
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UWASNET Chairman, Mr Ali Chemisto. from Shs32.4 billion to Shs37.832 billion with the biggest investment of 59 percent injected in water supply by constructing 474 boreholes, 444 shallow wells and 237 tap stands. About 1,120 water jars, 812 rain water tanks,kiosks and 67 springs were protected. In the financial year 2013/14, Water and Environment sector received Shs524.5 billion, of this, the budget allocation from the government was Shs439.1 billion equivalent to 3.2 percent of the overall National Budget. But as of June 2014, the population with access to safe water in the urban areas was 72.8 percent while the rural population with access to safe water still stagnated at 64 percent.
Highlights from the partners during thefourthNational Wash Civil Society Forum Improving water quality management Dissemination of research findings on the iron water challenge in Eastern Uganda. Declining water quality has become a global issue of concern as human populations grow, industrial and agricultural activities expand, and climate change threatens to cause major alterations to the hydrological cycle. Despite recognition of the importance of waste water treatment, every 2 million tons of human waste is disposed in water bodies globally. More than 80% of sewage and 70% of industrial waste in developing countries is discharged untreated, polluting rivers, lakes and coastal areas. Non-point pollution from agriculture and urban areas often constitute an even greater total pollutant load than industrial pollution (WWAP, 2014) In Africa, many rivers and groundwater systems are highly polluted by toxic and hazardous pollutants from the ever increasing industrial and agricultural activities
over the years. The increasing pollution threatens the sustainability of water resources and ecosystems, as well as the livelihoods of people depending on them. In addition, climate change is likely to exacerbate these challenges due to high vulnerability of the region to the impacts of climate change (UNESCO, 2011). The quality of this water in Uganda has also experienced tremendous decline due to increasing biological and chemical combination. Limited coverage of the sewer network in urban and small towns, discharge of raw industrial effluent in water bodies and poor sanitation practices such as pit latrines without slabs and open defecation are major sources of these contaminants (JMP, 2008). Within the rural areas where ground water is the predominant source of water supply, a number of water quality
challenges are also experienced including iron content in bore-hole water, bacteriology contamination due to the predominant use of on-site sanitation, open defecation among other poor sanitation practices. In some parts of rural Uganda, a number of boreholes have been abandoned due to high levels of iron content. The world health organization sets the guideline for the maximum iron content in drinking water at 0.3 mg/L (WHO 2006). Water Aid Uganda and sustainable Water and sanitation renewal systems (SSWARRS) through research have unearthed the depth of this challenge and developed a sustainable solution respectively as presented in the two case studies. By WaterAid Uganda
Enhancing wash in institutions Promoting effective menstrual hygiene management among women and girls in Uganda. Good menstrual hygiene management is crucial for the health, education & the dignity of girls and women. However, this is an issue that has attracted little attention in the Water and Environment sector. Poor menstrual hygiene management and the accompanying stigma that
girls face in schools is contributing to approximately 28% of Ugandan girls missing school (Plan 2013 Baseline study) and as many as one in ten girls across Africa drop out of school. All together, this contributes to early marriages, early pregnancies and high prevalence of sexually
transmitted diseases as well as HIV and AIDS. Plan International is piloting a menstrual hygiene program that sits within its wider WASH program. This programme addresses a range of components including
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Enhancing wash in institutions...continued Promoting effective menstrual hygiene management among women and girls in Uganda. health, hygiene, environment, livelihoods, education and gender. Using innovative strategies, Plan uses a three pronged approach which includes: improving the knowledge, attitudes and practices of women and girls in schools and the wider community as well as men and boys. To accomplish this, Plan International works closely with teachers, community health
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workers, village volunteers in a number of participatory and creative approaches including community radio shows and drama. The organization works in partnership with social enterprises like AFRI pads, to ensure access to hygienic, affordable and reusable pads, which are better for the environment. Finally Plan works with village women groups, providing training
Water is Life | October-December, 2014
and ongoing support for business skills to enable them market and sell the pads, thus increasing their livelihood opportunities and confidence. With this, Plan aims at building a robust M&E framework that will contribute to global indicators on MHM that is currently lacking. By Plan International
Water and Environment still needs govt support
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SHABIBAH NAKIRIGYA The Water and Environment sector still needs government support and cannot be left in the hands of private investors and funders, environmentalists have asked. Chebet Maikut the assistant commissioner, Climate Change Department made the remarks while speaking at the final stakeholders meeting on the climate change adaptation and ICT(CHAI) held in Kampala “The way we are handling the Water and Environment sector is worrying. For instance, at a certain time we fail to inform farmers about climate change because of facilitation, we just estimate to alert them but sometimes we misinform them. At this rate, the private sector cannot lead us, we still need the support of government,” Mr Maikut said.. The objective for CHAI is to have the Water and Environment sector led by the funders and supported by the government focusing on providing farmers with climate change information to prepare their gardens in time through electronic communication like mobile phones, radio talk shows and TV “All of us depend on agriculture but this works along with water and environment, we need to rethink how it is being handled.
At this point, the private sector cannot lead us because the population is not even involved in production and productivity due tolack of sensitization about climate change adaptation and ICT,” she added. In her remarks, Ms Edith Adera theSenior Program Specialist at International Development Research Centrenoted that CHAI was the first association which aimed at enhancing the adoptive capacity of communities to climate change induced water challenges using ICT in Uganda “The project targets the most affected districts which include; Nakasongola, Rakai and Soroti but due to the high population of farmers they need more funds to make things move” Ms Adera said. However Mr James Kunobere the Nakasongola District Environment Officer said that because of funds to they still face a challenge of getting climate change adaptation information in time and this affects their crops and cattle. “Due to water scarcity and failure to target rain seasons there is reduction in productivity of the farmers, we urge the government for additional funds on water and environment in the national budget,” Mr Kunobere,”said
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748 million Number of people worldwide, according to a WaterAid report, that do not have access to clean water. About 9.2 million of those, almost a quarter of the population are in Uganda,
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon meeting with United Nations General Assembly President, Hon. Sam K. Kutesa.
Vigilance needed to access clean, safe water
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By Paul Tajuba Every day, Ms Jacqueline Acaye, 35, a single mother and widow of a Lords Resistance Army victim wakes up at 4am. The Mican village resident in Gulu District has to walk about five kilometers to collect water for her family from a well that is shared between humans and animals. As she treks to the well, she is joined by other women and girls intent on beating the early morning human and animal traffic. In rural areas where some cultural values are still intact and evident, women and girls walk long distances in quest for water normally picked from boreholes and unprotected water points like wells and springs which sometimes are contaminated.
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Water is Life | October-December, 2014
According to a WaterAid report, about 748 million people worldwide do not have access to clean water. About 9.2 million of those, almost a quarter of the population are in Uganda, The report also says in urban areas, large slums exist without proper drainage or toilets, leaving waste to gather in and around people’s homes. More than 1,400 children die everyday due to water-borne related diseases caused by lack of safe drinking, cooking and cleaning water. Access to water is a right, and the Millennium Development Goal (MDG7) set by the United Nations seeks to half the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. The MDGs were developed in 1990 and expected to last in 2015. But achieving this target is a tough call, especially following years of
rather intensifying pressure on the environment. Increasing population and industrialisation has hit hard the water catchments and filters-wetlands as many have been reclaimed leading to pollution and reduction of water tables. Despite the challenge though, according to a recent government policy statement, water and sanitation coverage stands at 65 percent and 70 percent respectively but struggling to achieve the 100 percent water coverage for all Ugandans by the year 2015. The UN under GoAL WASH seek to sustain the achievements made in water coverage with particular focus on needs, constraints and opportunities in national water and sanitation strategies. Good governance by tackling corruption cases that fail distribution of water to rural areas is key if sustainability is to be achieved.
Access to water is a right, and the Millennium Development Goal (MDG7) set by the United Nations seeks to half the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.
Mary Namwebe, an official from Plan International Uganda, said for the gains made in water coverage to be sustained particularly in rural areas, practical leaders with good management skills should be in place.
the management and functionality of boreholes and also hold periodic meetings with community members to see how best to keep water sources running. The committee also oversees matters of hygiene and sanitation.
She says for example, through Plan International sanitation activities chosen on the basis of need and remoteness across the country; water management committees have been set up not only to protect and renovate water sources like boreholes but also to act as saving schemes.
“We don’t encourage people who come with dirty jerrycans and other containers to draw water from the borehole. Also when the borehole breaks down, it’s our duty to make sure that it’s urgently repaired,” Ahumada Mutebi, the chairman says.
“Where we operate, we have established water committees manned by local people. They are trained to repair boreholes when they breakdown and also collect an agreed fee to buy spare parts when a borehole breaks,” she says. One such committee is the Kiguga Water User committee where members oversee
Above: Children fetching water from the Katina shallow well.
But the committee members may lose focus if they are only charged with one responsibility of waiting to repair the bore hole when it breaks down. Ms Namwebe says such schemes have been turned into saving groups that can be used to turn around the incomes of the rural poor through saving and borrowing.
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Wash your hands with soap and water Mary Namwebe, WASH Specialist- Plan Uganda
The Water and Sanitation sector performance report (2013) reveals that 29% of Ugandans wash their hands with water and soap at critical times, a 5% increment from 2011. Despite this improvement, majority of the population, particularly children below 5 years are at risk of disease and death due to infections related to poor sanitation. In Uganda, over 12,000 children die every year from diarrhoea caused by unsafe water, poor sanitation, WASH-related diseases and associated conditions.
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According to the Ministry of health, the major causes of deaths are Malaria 24%, acute respiratory infections21%, and diarrhea 17%. Studies show that the single act of correct hand washing with soap reduces diarrhea incidences by 44% (Fewtrell et al. 2005). A study conducted by Plan Uganda in selected sub-counties in Kamuli, Tororo, Lira, Alebtong and Luwero districts in 2011 revealed low levels of hand washing where only 15% of the households in Kamuli wash their hands; 24% in Tororo 22% in Lira, 24% in Alebtong and 28% in Luweero. The schools situation was not any better with only 12% of schools visited in Luwero had and used hand washing facilities, Lira 3%, Aleptong 6%, Kamuli 33% and Tororo 15%. Adoption of good hygiene and sanitation practice is a collective responsibility of all stakeholders. Plan Uganda in partnership with local governments in Kamuli, Luwero, Tororo and Lira have since 2011 been working together to improve the hand washing situation in those districts.
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Grace Nyaketcho, a primary one pupil,washes her hands after visiting a pit latrine. Photo by Joseph Omollo As a result, recently concluded Knowledge Attitude and Practice survey (2014) by Plan Uganda indicates that hand washing facilities in the target sub counties in the above
Water is Life | October-December, 2014
districts was observed in over 40% of households Hand washing in schools stood at 68% down from 17% in the target schools.
Tororo District, with support from Plan Uganda commissioned the VHTs to sensitise communities on hand washing
Members of the school health club refill the hand washing facility. Photo by Joseph Omollo.
Tororo households register success in hand washing
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By Joseph Omollo In 2007, village health teams (VHTs) visited the home of Ms Joyce Chemusto and Mr James Chesuro during a routine hygiene and sanitation operation. The team found the couple, which has been married for close to 20 years, did not own a pit latrine. According to Ms Chemusto, they were sensitized on the benefits of using a pit latrine as opposed to open defecation. The team also taught them how to construct a latrine. Within3 weeks, the pit latrine had been constructed and the family using it. . ”This greatly reduced the littering of faeces around the As part of the open defecation free campaign, Plan Uganda in partnership with Tororo district commissioned VHTs to sensitize communities on hand washing, with an aim of empowering them (communities) with information
to ensure that they adopt the practice. Joyce attended one of the sensitization sessions on how to construct a hand washing facility called a tippy tap and immediately made one at her home. “I was one of the first people to construct a tippy tap. The VHTs visited my home and were very impressed. Three days-later, a team of district officials also visited and qualified us to be a model home. My home is now being used as a reference point of study,” Said Joyce. Ms Chemusto adds that it is a collective responsibility of all family members to keep the hand washing facility in good condition and refilled with water all the time.
Children adopt hand washing in schools As part of the initiative to ensure that young people embrace the culture of toilet hygiene at a tender age,
Tororo district supported by Plan Uganda sensitized schools on the hand washing practice. For instance Kasipodo Primary School in Osukuru Sub-county has a school health club where children are taught, both in theory and practically hand washing techniques. According to the school deputy head teacher, Mr. George William Ochwo, adopting the practice, like in any other community, took them time. He attributes the success in adoption of the concept to exposure of pupils’ leaders to hygiene training by Plan Uganda and the district. “It is through these trainings that they were able to form a school health club, whose responsibility has been sensitizing other pupils on the relevancy of washing hands after visiting a pit latrine, before and after handling food as well as after cleaning baby’s bottom,“ says George. He
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admitted to St. Anthony Hospital, Tororo with diarrhea. The district health inspector, Mr. Patrick Omita reveals that 57.8 per cent of the households in the districts have embraced the hand washing practice. There are 105,567 households in the district. The number, according to Mr Omita, has been improving over the past 3 years, an indication that communities have understood the benefits adopted the practice of hand washing
Achievements. Mrs. Joyce Chemusto demonstrates to the members of the VHT how hand washing facility operates.
■■Ever since the schools and households adopted the practice, they have registered numerous achievements among them;
One of the girls that has adopted hand washing practice after using the latrine is Grace Nyakecho, 8years. At her tender age, the primary one pupil is able to talk about the importance of washing hands after using a latrine and how to make a simple hand washing facility.
■■Reduction in expenditures to meet medical bills to treat hygiene- related diseases. These savings have been diverted to paying fees.
attributes this achievement to the awareness sessions during school assemblies. Ms Beatrice Akumu, the school senior woman, says the initiative has made her duties very easy as compared to the past as toilet facilities have provided a safe environment for the girls to study. Girls can access water in washrooms and are able to clean up during menstruation. Mr Ochwo says that the number of girls staying in school has increased because of the conducive environment particularly during menstruation.
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Ochwo reveals that out of 1,010 pupils in his school 525 are girls. One of the girls that has adopted hand washing practice after using the latrine is Grace Nyakecho, 8years. At her tender age, the primary one pupil is able to talk about the importance of washing hands after using a latrine and how to make a simple hand washing facility. “Washing hands after visiting a pit latrine helps to kill germs which cause diarrhea and cholera,” she says. Nyaketcho recalls a time, about two years ago, when her brother was
Water is Life | October-December, 2014
■■Fewer incidences of disease infections like diarrhoea ■■Instilling hand washing practices among children hence improving hygiene situation in communities and school environments ■■Wide dissemination of information on hygiene management to communities,schools and youths through music, dance and drama ■■Creation of a safe environment for the girls to study due to the availability of water and the wash rooms. ■■Reduced school drop- out rate of girls due to availability of facilities. Girls enjoy a conducive environment during periods due to availability of washing and change rooms during menstruation periods.
South Sudanese refugees embrace hand washing Child friendly space
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By Martin Okudi Plan Uganda has since January 2014, been implementing activities in the areas of Child protection, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), distribution of non-food items and Education in the camps of Nyumanzi, Ayillo II, Baratuku, Baroli, Mungula, Olua I and Olua II.
Plan Uganda has drilled 5 boreholes and 2 pit latrines at Baratuku refugee settlement camp which serves over 4,500 people.
Refugees trapped in camps are always hit hardest by poor sanitation practices dictated by the living conditions within the settlements. Ayilo II and Baratuku refugee settlement camps in Adjumani district, Northern Uganda are not any different. The 2 camps are populated by over 8,000 South Sudanese refugees. The influx of the refugees that started in December 2013 brought about myriads of sanitation related problems, such as diarrhoea and typhoid. “We used to defecate in the bushes around the camp,” 6 year-old Khout Deng, a resident of Ayilo Block II told Wash Journal. “But when I told my father about the dangers of open defection, he constructed a pit latrine and also installed tippy-tap for hand washing.” Said Deng Deng is one of the 800 children; aged 3-6 at the Ayilo II block A, a child friendly
space which is practicing hand washing with support from Plan Uganda. The center attracts children from all the five blocks of Ayilo II refuge settlement camp. Instilling good hygiene practices has been a focus in the centers, every morning all children are involved in an exercise where they are taught how to wash their hands after visiting the latrine. This is coupled with observation of personal hygiene both at school and in their homes. The Care givers make visit pupils’ homes to establish if they practice what they learn at the child center. In its campaign of promoting hygiene and sanitation in the settlements, Plan Uganda is supporting the refugees through capacity building of community based hygiene promoters, water management committees, community sensitization, distribution of latrine construction tools, and supervision of latrine and hand washing facility construction. Through the organisation’s support and supervision, refugees in Baratuku camp have been able to construct over 300 household latrines. As a result, the household latrine coverage now stands at 78%. To reinforce hygiene in the camps, 6 hygiene promoters have been trained and 7 communal refuse pits constructed. The community hygiene
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“Hand washing has kept my children from acquiring sanitation related diseases,” Machar said. “But that is because we also have access to pit latrines, where waste is properly disposed off.”Said Deng. promoters carry out a door-to-door hand washing campaign on a regular basis “With the knowledge and skills I received in the hygiene promotion training, I am able to pass over hygiene messages to my community.” - Kachuo, community based hygiene promoter. As part of its efforts to reinforce the sanitation practice in the refugee communities, Plan has supported and sensitized communities to construct tippy taps to ensure hand washing practice at house hold levels. A tippy tap is a device that comprises a tin or jerrycan hanging on a pole with water and soap used by people to wash hands after toilet visits.
Testimony from a single parent “I did not know how to use a pit latrine.”Aja, a resident of Baratuku settlement “When I arrived in this camp I found no pit latrine and did not bother to find out why because I was not used to using latrines. I initially failed to understand the importance of a pit latrine when I was told to construct one. I was later sensitized by a team of officials from Plan Uganda along with some of the refugee leaders. As a single mother, I thought our neighbors would sympathize with me to use their toilet. But I was later told that I needed to have my own. With help from good Samaritans I managed to construct mine. Much as I am a single mother with a lot of challenges, the construction of the latrine was made easier because of the training I had received . I was taught how to construct the pit latrine using readily available local materials by the hygiene promoters The only challenge I encountered was how to teach my two children on how to use the pit latrine since both of them feared falling in the pit. “It took several months for them to start using the it since they were used to open defection,” says Aja.
Sarah Aguti, the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene officer based in Adjumani says Plan Uganda has distributed latrine digging kits to 300 households who benefited directly while several other households have also benefited indirectly. MS Aluat Bol Machar, a resident of Baratuku Block Ar settlement says that she has taught her family members how to wash their hands after visiting the latrine and before a meal using soap. “It was never easy convincing them to wash their hands from time to time in the beginning, but gradually, when I insisted, they changed their attitude,” Machar said. Another beneficiary, Mr Michael Deng adopted hygiene practices from his neighbors who attended Plan Uganda’s sensitisation campaign. “I missed the sensitisation and the training sessions but I copied what my neighbors were doing and I was able to construct my own pit latrine,” Deng said. He further attests that his family is free of poor sanitation related diseases that they suffered from almost every week. “Hand washing has kept my children from acquiring sanitation related diseases,” Machar said. “But that is because we also
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Ms Ajah Malek Alier have access to pit latrines, where waste is properly disposed off.”Said Deng. To accelerate sanitation improvement at community level, Plan Uganda has drilled 5 boreholes and 2 pit latrines at Baratuku refugee settlement camp which serves over 4,500 people.
President Yoweri Museveni commissioning the 18 boreholes constructed by WaterAid under the MTN Kampala Marathon 2013 water project in Nakapiripirit district. Photo credit: WaterAid/ James Kiyimba
President Museveni commissions Run for Water: MTN aids Karamoja water quest
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By James Kiyimba Tuesday 14 October was not like any other ordinary day in Nakapiripirit district of Karamoja sub region, north east Uganda. The day is to be remembered by many people in Loregae and Nabilatuk sub counties; because for the first time in their lives they are able to get safe drinking water after President Yoweri Museveni commissioned 18 boreholes constructed using proceeds from the 2013 MTN Kampala marathon. The 2013 MTN Kampala Run for Water Marathon raised 400 million shillings and the proceeds were donated to WaterAid Uganda to implement a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project in the water stressed sub counties of Loregae and Nabilatuk. Single-handedly, WaterAid Uganda could not address the safe water and sanitation needs of the people in the selected sub counties. As a result, this project was implemented in partnership with Nakapiripirit District Local Government,
While addressing the people, President Museveni highlighted the government’s plan for safe water provision in Karamoja Sub-Region which includes construction of valley tanks in each parish.
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hygiene education. In addition, water from the bore holes is used to water hundreds of cattle and goats which are a source of livelihood for the Karamojong pastoralists. Angelina Moru a resident of Naturum Village says that; “Since the new borehole is near my home, I no longer have to walk to far places in search of water. Nowadays I have more time to do other domestic chores. I am able to take a bath twice a day yet before I Each of the boreholes has a trough for watering livestock. Photo credit: WaterAid/ James Kiyimba
would go without bathing for a number of days. Now that I am pregnant, my children can also help me in collecting water in this nearby water source.”
Safe water plan for Karamoja
WaterAid believes that investment in water, sanitation and hygiene is a gate way to sustainable development and therefore a panacea to poverty eradication, keeping girls in schools, productivity and general improvement of health. Karamoja Agro Pastoral Development Programme (KADP) a local partner NGO and community members in the selected sub counties.
Sustainability Each borehole has a water user committee for proper management and use of the water facility In the photo above, community members were seen reading bye-laws that govern use of their water source. Photo: WaterAid/ James Kiyimba For sustainability and community ownership of the project, Benson Okong – Nabilatuk Sub County chief says that the Nakapirpirit District Local Government played a significant role in the project implementation. “As a district Local Government, we have worked with local communities to identify the most in need communities, we have a trained
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After six months of implementation the project transformed the lives of more than 10,600 people through improved access to safe water, sanitation and
water user and sanitation committee of nine people at each of the boreholes constructed. Once trained, the water user committees are overseeing the proper functionality and sustainability of all their water points. We are supporting communities to make by- laws for proper use and day to day management of the boreholes. For example a number of communities have made a by-law that each household is to contribute UGX 1,000 every month as a contribution to their boreholes’ operation and maintenance fund. We are very grateful to MTN for helping our needy communities get access to safe water. Our next step is to improve
Water is Life | October-December, 2014
While addressing the people, President Museveni highlighted the government’s plan for safe water provision in Karamoja Sub-Region which includes construction of valley tanks in each parish. The president added that by the end of this financial year (2014/15) more than 58 valley dams will be completed. In addition, every constituency is to have a valley dam, at least four boreholes in every village and piped water schemes for the towns in the sub- region.
sanitation and hygiene practices. At the moment our district latrine coverage stands at just over 13% but our target is to reach the national coverage. To get there in addition to community awareness we have added the use of police to arrest people practicing open defecation. As a result many people are now constructing their own latrines.” WaterAid believes that investment in water, sanitation and hygiene is a gate way to sustainable development and therefore a panacea to poverty eradication, keeping girls in schools, productivity and general improvement of health.
Uganda Case Study Findings: Shift from galvanised pipes to stainless steel and plastic pipes to remove iron in borehole construction in Uganda
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Groundwater is quite often known to be clean and safe since it doesn’t usually contain harmful pathogens unless they have been introduced by pollution. The challenge though is that, depending on the location, it contains iron from either the materials used in borehole designs and construction or geological formation. High concentration of iron in the borehole makes water taste bad and brown in color.
Generally, iron is not harmful to health but its taste is unpleasant in water and the brown coloration compels communities to return to swamp or stream water and this results in the risk that many community members contract water borne diseases which may eventually lead to deaths. In 2013/14, WaterAid Uganda conducted an investigation as to why some boreholes in Amuria and Katakwi districts were abandoned by communities. Households from nine villages of Okolas,Alwenya,Amaratoit,Abwanget, Atera, Angodingod, Otomei, Aberan and Odengelo complained that water from boreholes tastes bad, turns food black when used for cooking and sometimes also turns into brown color when left overnight in the storage
The high iron level in boreholes in Amuria and Katakwi districts has resulted into community members abandoning a number of water sources. Photo: WaterAid/ Bonny Etti
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containers. WaterAid launched the investigation using field test kits but also sent samples to government laboratories in Entebbe. A colour comparator of iron was done at the site where the corresponding colour indicates the level of iron concentration. The field investigation revealed corrosive groundwater which eventually leads to corrosion of the GI rods and pipes in the U2 pumps. This corrosion releases iron from the pipe into the water and causes pipe leakages and subsequently break down of the boreholes within approximately a period of 6 months-1 year.
Eight boreholes fitted with U2 pumps were tested. The boreholes were pumped for two hours (every early morning before communities fetched water) and samples collected at 30 minutes intervals. Sample 1 shows high iron concentration initially while the concentration kept declining over time. The interpretation of this is that when water remains in the pipes for sometimes, the level of corrosion in the pipes tends to be higher thus releasing iron into the water.
of the stainless pipes and triggering demand for them. Study conducted by Bonny Etti and Vincent Casey
The solution: The same tests were run on the U3 modified pumps fitted with plastic riser pipes. The findings indicated low iron concentration with no erosion taking place in these pumps. Eliminating the problem of high iron in water, therefore, means a deliberate shift from galvanized pipes and rods to stainless steel and plastic pipes. The latter can be installed at depth between 30-35 meters while stainless steel can be installed beyond 40 meters. Government and other civil society organizations need to embrace this shift by increasing stock
For more information contact: WaterAid Uganda, Plot 90, Luthuli Avenue, Bugolobi, P.O. Box 11759, Kampala, Tel: +256- 414 -505795/7, Email: wauganda@wateraid.org; Website: www.wateraid.org/uganda
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World vision’s WASH Project, bettering lives in Gulu
Some of the water source committee at Baromo village Parak Parish Lakwana Subcounty Gulu district undergoing trainings in protecting and managing the newly constructed borehole.
WASH MAGAZINE 2014
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PHOTO BY JULIUS OCUNGI
In 2006, after almost two decades of war orchestrated by the Lord’s Resistance Army rebels (LRA), peace returned to Northern Uganda. Consequently people started returning to their original homesteads from the IDP camps. However, at the return sites, the need for safe, clean water, and proper sanitation were wanting as majority of the communities lacked water points.
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In most of the return villages, numerous outbreaks of diseases associated with unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation were registered. The locals also used to trek for kilometers in search of clean water points. Since, the intervention of Uganda Water Sanitation and Hygiene Project (WASH) in 2010, an initiative
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Water is Life | October-December, 2014
of World Vision , aimed at addressing water and sanitation problems in selected districts of Uganda, the locals have had a reason to smile. eight districts of Oyam, Gulu, Amuru, Nakasongola, Hoima, Bulisa, Bundibogyo and Buikwe in addressing water scarcity and sanitation crisis, is funded to a tune of US$24 million with funds from Korea and American embassies. It was rolled out in 2010. In Baromo village in Parak Parish Lakwana Sub-county Gulu District, over 490 people are rope borehole was constructed early this year to help in providing safe and clean water to the community.
World vision WASH Project
Ms Kerobina Alobo, the chairperson, water source committee and hide the joy derived from the UWASH initiatives. “My family members kept on falling ill from water borne diseases as a result of drinking water from a well. The distance to the wells was unimaginable,” she said recently, adding, “But my family members and I have never suffered from any water borne sicknesses, since the borehole was sunk in the area. We are grateful to World Vision for their initiative that has raised hope of the locals in the area since the community has a safe water point.” Similar projects have been carried out in other communities. In Obot Parish, Lamin Opabo village, Lakwana Sub-county, Gulu total of 306 households. According Ms Christine Adong, chairperson water source committee, before they had the borehole, they used to trek long distances to look for water at a spring well. “But the well would dry up during the dry season and this meant that most of the locals would trek for more than three kilometers wells with animals,” she said. Ms Kerobina Alobo, Chairperson water source committe in Baromo Village , Parak Parish, Lawkana Subcounty. PHOTO BY JULIUS OCUNGI.
brought in tremendous positives in the region that had been hit hard by unclean water points most especially the return sites. “Our engagement with the communities and the local government has made WASH initiative a success which will have a long life impact in the region,” the regional engineer also acting regional coordinator WASH project World Vision, Gulu said
A young boy tries to fetch water from one of the deep boreholes that was constructed in 2013 at Obot Village Lamin Opabo Parish Lakwana Subcounty by World Vision. PHOTO BY JULIUS OCUNGI
He added that although the project is nearing its
expiry, they still see a lot of need to build more safe water points and engage in sanitation sensitisation drives in communities that have not “We have been encouraging the locals who can afford to pay for the construction of low cost boreholes to consult the at a cheap price,”
9. WASH MAGAZINE 2014
This also increased the water borne disease.
He added that WASH initiative is not only for community members in rural areas but individuals within town settings
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World vision’s U-WASH Project
A girl pumps water from the newly constructed hand dug well as others looks on at Baromo Village in Parak Parish Lakwana Sub-County Gulu district.
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WASH MAGAZINE 2014
“Today, people in this area have toilets, clean compounds and rubbish pits, which was never the case in the past years.” Mr Charles Kisa, a low cost borehole installation expert and UWASH project coordinator in the northern region, said an assessment survey carried out last year in the region showed a great need for safe water points using the cheapest technology available. “Our designs for the low cost bore holes were targeted for communities that had little safe and clean water coverage,” he said. Each of the low cost shallow bore holes installed cost Shs10 million only since the water tables in the areas were high. According to Mr Kisa, there were rampant cases of water borne diseases in the area of Lakwana Sub-county, which were as a result of drinking unsafe water. “The locals had been relying on
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unprotected spring wells that were in distanced places with others trekking as far as two kilometers in search for the water points,” says Mr Kisa. He added that the current project is targeting construction of deep boreholes, shallow boreholes, hand dug wells and rehabilitation of protected springs using the cheapest technology. “Many water wells require a significant investment, an expensive drilling rig and a crew to run it. But under U-WASH Project, construction of clean water source for communities has been made easy in a short period of time and at an affordable price,” Mr Kisa said. In some communities, World Vision established water committees wherever a water source is introduced. These committees ensure that the water source is well utilised and maintained. “We have also started an innovative project to train communities to dig their own shallow wells and equip them with hand pumps,” Mr Kisa noted. We also offered the water committees training in financial management, operation and maintenance, environmental related management, hygiene and sanitation.”
Water is Life | October-December, 2014
PHOTO BY JULIUS OCUNGI.
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“We have been encouraging the locals who can afford to pay for the construction of low cost boreholes to consult the organisation so as they benefit at a cheap price,”
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“At the moment, our lives have changed for the better. We do not register complications and we do not trek to look for water ever since the borehole was drilled in November 2013,” she said, adding that they have been sensitized on sanitation and hygiene.
World vision’s U-WASH Project
The organisation is working in 38 districts in the country. UWASH Project is an initiative by world vision aimed at addressing water and sanitation problems in eight selected districts of Uganda. UWASH project is a five year programme that started in 2010 and ends in 2015.
The UWASH project, an initiative of World Vision, has constructed about 528 water points in the region that has benefited over 248,525 locals. About World Vision and UWASH
Project
Locals in Obot Village Lamin Opabo Parish Lakwana Sub-County wait to fetch water from the deepborehole that is benefiting over 306 people. PHOTO BY JULIUS OCUNGI
WASH MAGAZINE 2014
Baromo village chairperson Christine Kaguti, however, requested World Vision to increase on the numbers of the hand dug rope boreholes, so that the community doesn’t overwhelm the only bore hole they have.
World Vision is a humanitarian a Christian relief, development and advocacy nongovernmental organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.
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“I heard about the project over the radio and got interested to try it at my home since paying for water bill had overwhelmed me,” he said. The borehole cost Shs2 million to install; money Odong paid in installments. “Today I am assured of getting safe and clean water every day. I have also began selling water to other residents in the area, earning Shs10,000 everyday which has boosted my income,” he said.
“This is a good initiative that will benefit the locals for very long period of time, however there is need for more bore holes to be sunk in the area since the number of households are too many,” Ms Kaguti said.
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Mr George Odong a resident of Airfield Zone in Bardege division, Gulu Municipality is among some of the few individuals who now owns a low cost boreholes that was installed at a cheap cost.
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Kampala City: Photo :JMC Media/Innocent Mutaawe
From vision to action: Making the case for regenerative urban development in East Africa
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Wednesday 1 - 3 October 2014, Kampala hosted the fourth edition of Future of Cities Forumâ€&#x; under the theme: “Making the case for regenerative urban development: A guiding framework for an urbanizing East Africa.â€? The forum was attended by mayors, city planners, urban development technical experts, development partners and representatives from civil society organisations to discuss key challenges for future urban sustainable development in East Africa as well as on a global scale.
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Water is Life | October-December, 2014
City mayors, planners, urban development technical experts and development partners attending the Future of Cities Forum in Kampala. Photo: WaterAid/James Kiyimba
A young girl’s vision of a future city
Hadija‟‘s dreams is that of a future city were she has access to quality education, employment, quality health services, protection, water supply and sanitation. Every day before going to school and after, Hadija has to collect water for her home use from a condemned spring well. Some times, when she drinks the water she gets sick and misses going to school. Photo: WaterAid/ James Kiyimba Hadija Nasali was born in Busega, one of Kampala city‟s urban poor settlements. At just six years of age, Hadija already has bitter memories of growing up in a slum environment. She is growing up seeing drug abuse, violence and theft but she has not lost the hope to live in a future city where she has protection, good housing conditions, access to quality education, safe water and sanitation services. “Before going to school and upon return, I have to collect water from the spring well because we don‟t have tap water at our home. When thirsty, I drink the water in most cases without boiling it first. Our village Health Team workers always tell us not to drink that water when it‟s not boiled but at home we don‟t have enough money to by charcoal for boiling water,” Hadija narrates what it means for her to live in Kampala‟s slum settlement. “When i grow up I want to become a policewoman,
to arrest people who fight or steal other people’s property, I want to live in a home with electricity, a good toilet and tap water.” Hadija’‟s experience of growing up in a slum and her aspirations for the future are not very unique, they are common stories from majority of young people living in urban poor settlements of most of our African cities. The youth have dreams of living in future cities where they have protection, employment, a good environment and where city authorities are providing opportunities for their citizens to realise their full potential.
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Water is Life | October-December, 2014
A day for water and water for SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
#WaterIs Essential
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water is health Clean hands can save your life.
© Martine Perret
#WaterIs Health
water is nature Ecosystems lie at the heart of the global water cycle.
© Creative Travel Projects
#WaterIs Nature
water is urbanization Every week, one million people move into cities.
© Narayan Patel
#WaterIs Urbanization
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water is industry More water is used to manufacture a car than to fill a swimming pool.
© Inlovepai
#WaterIs Industry
water is energy Water and energy are inseparable friends.
© Stocksolutions
#WaterIs Energy
water is food To produce 2 steaks you need 15 000 liters of water.
© Rick Harrisson
#WaterIs Food
water is equality Every day women spend 200 million hours carrying water.
© Gnomeandi
#WaterIs Equality
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National Water and Sewerage Corporation:
Helping the urban poor access Water & Sanitation Facilities
Brief about National Water and Sewerage Corporation
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Introduction The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) is a Public Utility Company whose mandate as defied in the NWSC Act is to operate and provide water and sewerage services in areas entrusted to it on a sound, commercial and viable basis. The NWSC corporate Vision is “To Be A Leading Water Utility In The World,” and the Mission is “To Provide Efficient And Cost Effective Water And Sewerage Services Applying Innovative Managerial Solutions to The Delight Of Our Customers.” The NWSC operations have expanded from 3 towns in 1972 to 23 as at July 2013. Currently, the number of operational areas has expanded to 66 areas as at June 2014. The 66 areas include; Kampala, Mukono, Wakiso, Jinja, Njeru, Entebbe, Kajjansi, Lugazi, Mbale, Iganga, Kaliro, Tororo, Malaba, Soroti, Kaberamaido, Amuria, Oteboi, Kalaki & Atili, Gulu, Lira, Kitgum, Pader, Apac, Aduku, Arua, Nebbi, Paidha, Masaka, Kalisizo, Mubende, Mityana, Luwero, Wobulenzi, Bombo, Fort Portal, Kasese, Masindi, Hoima, Mbarara, Kabale, Bushenyi,
Ishaka, Kabwohe, Itendero, Kangyenyi SC, Kisoro, Rukungiri, Kebisoni, Buyanja, Rwerere, Nyakagyeme SC, Kanungu, Kihihi, Kambuga, Butogota, Kanyampanga, Kanyantorogo, Kateete, Nyamirama, Mayuge, Ibanda, Lyantonde, Kamwenge, Kitagata, Kigumba, Kiryandongo and Bweyale TC. The NWSC area of jurisdiction is envisaged to expand to 80 service areas by 2018. In November 2013, the Corporation launched its Five Year Strategic Direction(2013-2018) that provides the Corporation’s outlook and key strategic interventions for the next five years, building upon the Corporation’s existing Corporate Plan, and taking into account the wider stakeholder expectations, policy directions and competitive environment. One of the key focus areas for the Corporation in the next fie years is to carry out network expansion and intensification to increase service coverage (people accessing NWSC water and sewerage services) from 77% to 100%.
Background of the urban pro-poor programme
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Since the late 1990s, Uganda has been undertaking an ambitious programme to reduce national poverty, emphasizing pro-poor service delivery and promoting equitable economic growth. The urban water sector, specifially, has been the focus of wide-ranging reforms targeted at reaching the poor.
on improving delivery of services to the urban poor.
At the institutional level, the national public water authority responsible for service delivery in Uganda’s towns and cities. National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has been implementing a raft of policies explicitly focused
The PEAP provided a framework for development of multisector targets and investment programmes at national, district, and local levels. Implementation of the PEAP included the development of detailed sector strategies and
Water is Life | October-December, 2014
The Government of Uganda (GoU) has undertaken a wide range of reforms in the urban water sector since the inception of the Poverty Eradication Action Plan (PEAP) in 1997 (updated in 2000 and 2004).
programmes which were supported by the GoU’s development partners via Poverty Reduction Strategy Credits. In 2004, the Ministry of Water and Environment (MoWE) unveiled a policy to expand water supply services to the poor in urban as well as rural areas. This was updated in 2006. The policy set the target of 100 percent coverage for water supply and sanitation (WSS) services in urban areas by 2015. In response to the policy, in 2004 the National Water and Sewerage Corporation, (NWSC) which is responsible for service delivery in areas designated to it, undertook a series of measures to implement the pro-poor policy in urban areas.
One of the demonstration low-cost latrines constructed
The Pro-poor programme can be described by a number of measures which include the following i. An Affordable Connections Policy, this is aimed at increasing coverage in all NWSC areas (in particular, the poor settlements) by lowering the cost of the connection fee for any customer living within 50 meters of the water mains. This policy is funded through an 11 percent surcharge in the average water supply tariff to be collected and ring-fenced into a New Connections Fund. ii. A Pro-Poor Tariff Policy, this shifted the uniform tariff structure for all consumers to a differentiated structure for (a) domestic (b) non domestic customers, and (c) public water points (PWPs). This means that there is a specific tariff for each of the NWSC’s customer categories across all water supply areas: industrial and commercial, government and institutional, and domestic. An additional tariff was developed specifically for PWPs. The MoWE considers that the differentiated tariff structure per customer category ensures equity in the supply and pricing. iii. A Pro-Poor Targeting Project, which the NWSC is implementing since 2006 with support from the Global Partnership (KFW and AFDB) for Output-Based Aid (GPOBA), to subsidize water supply connections (including shared yard taps and prepaid PWPs / kiosks) in specific poor settlements of Kampala.
To deliver these policies, the NWSC adopted two main delivery mechanisms: fist, it established a pro-poor branch and, second, it provided multiple levels of service. An Urban Pro-Poor unit was set up and staffed in 2007 to promote, plan and support water supply and sanitation service expansion in poor unserved settlements of Kampala. Multiple levels of service were provided to new domestic customers, including a choice of individual house connections, PWPs/ kiosks, and shared yard taps. In 2008 the NWSC started pilottesting prepaid PWPs/ kiosks. Community participation and demand creation for shared yard taps and prepaid PWPs/ kiosk pilot-tested in the GPOBA project have now become the NWSC’s approach to expanding services in all unserved areas
Tokena used at PWPS. Vendor gadget.
Although a number of difficulties and challenges emerged during implementation, the pro-poor policy has largely been successful due to the following factors i. Improved financial sustainability: The NWSC’s broadbased policy has allowed the utility to significantly improve access to services, while also improving its financial viability through the more than doubling of connections and tripling of revenue between 2004 and 2010. Achieving financial sustainability is essential for utilities to realistically serve poor households at scale. However, utilities also need to undertake targeted programmes to reach the poor.
ii. Improved operational efficiency: Increased efficiency of operations has enabled the NWSC to plan for, procure, and manage services for a growing number of customers. This entails employing more and better trained staff setting key performance contracts with staff and with internal independently managed water supply operations; applying for and obtaining an effective tariff structure; installing a new customer billing and revenue management system; improving community liaison and
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customer care and improving procurement and works management systems. iii. More affordable connections: The affordable Connection Policy increased the number of connections in across the board. Although it was designed to increase coverage in poor, unserved areas, the NWSC broadened poor domestic, government and industrial customers as well. As a result, NWSC’s rapid increase in connections led to an increase in water supply coverage.
viii. Prepaid water metering: A careful and well-thought through introduction of prepaid water meters (PWPs) has led to its widespread acceptance by consumers, politicians, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and even the press. This has largely eliminated the middlemen in water supplies and made water big percentage of people have access to prepaid meters but the NWSC’s intention is replicate their adoption at scale, eventually reaching 75 percent of the poor.
iv. Increased access to PWPs: The poorest consumers in Kampala are currently served by PWPs/ kiosks. A percent of the population is served by a public tap (PWP/kiosk, Presidential taps). The three-fold increase in the number of public taps, as well as expansion of shared connections (predominantly yard taps) in poor areas has therefore, helped increase access by the poor. This has also led to a reduction in the number of privately higher price. v. Creation of a pro-poor branch: The creation of an organizational structure and institutional mechanism to initiate, facilitate, continuously monitor and promote propoor initiatives, update MIS, and coordinate the activities operational branches) and organizations was a very positive step. This has allowed dedicated personnel of the NWSC to concentrate on pro-poor activities, a focus that the organization lacked earlier. The pro-poor branch reducing the proportion of inactive PWPs and yard taps. vi. An affordable tariff: The tariff was made ore affordable to poor households by introducing three different measures. First, different rates were set for all customer groups. a specific rate for stand posts which was also applied to yard taps, if these are shown to serve more than three households. Second, a crosssubsidy between different customers categories ( for example domestic, government/ institutional and commercial/industrial. The third was the 11percent surcharge in the tariff to fund new connections. vii. Geographical targeting: With support from GPOBA, output-based subsidies are being provided against delivery of prepaid PWPs and yard taps. Although progress has been slow, the approach shows that geographical targeting of poor households opportunities to increase coverage (including volumes unserved, areas. The GPOBA project is expected to connect 400,000 of Kampala’s poor.
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Community sensitization meeting on management of pre-paid meters in Mugwana low settlement in Makindye division In line with the national development plan and the presidential manifesto, improving water coverage and better sanitation facilities remains part of governments priority areas. NWSC is committed to supporting government programmes. H.E the president has been supportive of urban poor initiatives by personally officiating at some of them.
H.E the president commissioning a prepaid water point in Kampala, in Kyebando, one of the low income settlements
Beneficiary testimony
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Hajjat Tattu displays her water token.
For years, Hajati Tattu Kagwa and hundreds of other Mengo Hill Zone, Kisenyi II Parish residents in Mengo fetched water from a tap installed in-front of her house.
In 2006, NWSC established a dedicated Pro Poor branch and since then the situation in informal settlements has been turned around with safe and affordable water
But even though the water flowed through the metered pipes, it was never safe and was always expensive. Sometimes when the pipes broke, it took engineers from National Water and Sewerage Cooperation about a week to repair them.
The mandate of the Urban Pro-poor Branch, according to Gerald Ahabwe, the Pro-poor Manager, is to put in place infrastructure to provide water services to the informal settlements like those living in Kisenyi and other densely populated areas in Kampala. “The main objective of the urban pro-poor initiative is to improve the health situation in urban poor areas of Kampala through provision of appropriate water and sanitation technologies,” he says.
“We were never sure about how much money we would pay at the end of the month. And in cases of disconnections, we walked hundreds of miles to collect clean water,” Hajjat Kagwa told Wash Journal recently.
“Through the installation of prepaid metered stand pipes, the water supply coverage has increased and the access to safe and clean water improved. Through communal prepaid water dispensers, the urban poor population now directly enjoys the NWSC social tariff,” he says
But that all changed when NWSC, constructed a pre-paid meter stand pipe at the spot where the old metered tap stood through its Pro-poor Initiative about seven years ago.
Along with the provision of prepaid metering system, the branch has also constructed demonstration low-cost latrines that have helped to improve the sanitation in low income settlements. The move was aimed
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now able to consume up to five times more water while maintaining the same amount of expenses for clean and safe water. The prepaid metered stand pipe in-front of Hajjat Kagwa’s house serves about 25 families every day. Each household is issued with a token, with which they load credit of any amount and access water until the credit is exhausted. The customers then go to the vending points for credit re-charge, much similar to recharging a telephone handset with credit. Hajjat Kagwa’s family of 10 spends about Shs5,000 a month on water bills. This system has helped reduce exorbitant fees that poor customers paid to operator services. “By installation of prepaid metered stand pipes, operator services are no longer necessary and the urban poor population now enjoys the NWSC social tariff” Ahabwe says. “The urban poor like the residents of Kisenyi are now able to consume fie times more while maintaining the same amount of expenses they previously spent on clean and safe water.”
Hajjat Tattu inserts her token into the prepaid metered stand.
at addressing the low number of public and private toilets in informal settlements.
According to NWSC estimates, vendors sold a 20-litre jerrican at Shs200 but the same goes for Shs25 at prepaid meter points.
Improved access to clean water and better sanitation facilities has kept at bay the cholera problem which used to be a menace in Kampala especially during the rainy seasons.
“I know how much water I use and this has helped me save money. And when I lose my token, I pay Shs15,000 to have it replaced. This is the best system that has happened to us,” she says.
According to Ahabwe, the urban poor are
National Water & Sewerage Corporation. Plot 39 Jinja Road, P.O.Box 7053 Kampala. Tel: +256-414 315 100. Email: info@nwsc.co.ug. Website: www.nwsc.co.ug Toll free lines: 0800 100 977/ 0800 200 977 / 0800 300 977
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ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED IN WASH
For people around the world who suffer to access to safe water and sanitation, WaterAid is the international organization for them. WaterAid’s mission is to transform lives by improving access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation in the world’s poorest communities. And they do this is 27 countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific region and Central America, where they work with local communities and use a mixture of low cost technologies to deliver lasting solutions.
SNV Netherlands Development Organisation works to bring people out of poverty and try to give them opportunities to pursue their own sustainable development. The Netherlands born organization started over 40 years ago, now operates in 36 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, with specialists in Agriculture, Renewable Energy and Water, Sanitation & Hygiene .
This is an organization also into provision of access to safe drinking water and sanitation. They aim to stop a situation where one suffers or dies from a wateror sanitationrelated disease. They have been in Uganda since 2008. People-Uganda is working in target districts to increase the sustainability of water systems by exploring the role of the private sector and the potential of water businesses to manage water systems.
Plan is a child-centered community development organization that has been working in Uganda since 1992 to help vulnerable children access their rights, reads a brief on their twitter page. Among other things, they promoting safe water usage among children, hand washing behaviour among children and promote sanitary pads among the girl child, as inculcating long health practices and skills. Info Plan Uganda sponsors about 39,700 children, their families and communities in 5 districts across the country: Tororo, Kamuli, Luweero, Kampala and Lira.
Development and Advocacy NonGovernment Organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice in over 40 districts of Uganda
Uganda Water and Sanitation NGO Network (UWASNET) is the national umbrella organisation for Civil Society Organisations (CSO’s) in the Water and Enviroment sector. It was established in 2000 to strengthen the contribution of the CSO’s to the performance and developement of the sector. UWASNET is crucial in helping government realise its targets of alleviating poverty and achieving Mellinium Developement Goals (MDG’s) through universal acess to safe, sustainable water and improved Sanitation.
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Concern Worldwide is an international, nongovernmental humanitarian agency founded in 1968 in Dublin, Ireland. Concern Worldwide responds to emergencies and works to advance people in greatest need in 28 countries in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.Concern Worldwide in Uganda started working in 1980, with a famine relief operation in the Karamoja region. The organization returned to Uganda in 1990 to respond to HIV and AIDS pandemic mostly in Western Uganda. Since then, Concern Worldwide has maintained a presence in the country and implemented a range of projects supporting good governance and the decentralization process, enhancing people’s livelihoods through increasing agricultural production militating against the spread and impact of HIV and providing emergency water supply and sanitation services to IDPs.
The German Organisation for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) is now the GIZ Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit. Established on 1 January 2011, The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH brings together under one roof the long-standing expertise of the Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst (DED) gGmbH (German Development Service), the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH (German Technical Cooperation) and Inwent – Capacity Building International, Germany. For further information, go towww.giz.de.
(JESE) is an indigenous non-government, service-providing organization registered as a company by guarantee NO 47579. THE NGO BOAND 55914/1019,AND Since its establishment in 1993, JESE, through her work in improved Agriculture Production and Natural Resources Management and long term development, has greatly contributed to improved livelihoods of target beneficiaries and provided opportunities for a better life especially for the rural poor households and communities.
KDWSP Kigezi Diocese Water and Sanitation Programme (KDWSP) is a Faith Based Organization aimed at meeting the needs of the rural poor and water stressed communities in the Diocese of Kigezi, which shares the same boundaries as Kabale District. This is a unit under the Department of Planning and Development of Kigezi Diocese.
Other Organization involved in WASH Ministry of Water and Environment NET WAS Uganda WSP, Water and Sanitation Program CIDI FAO UNICEF END WATER POVERTY Water supply and Sanitation-World bank National Hand washing Secretariat
water is life | March - June, 2014.
40 44 Water is Life | October-December, 2014
Contains 2.3% carbon black 30 years expected lifespan Corrugated design gives extra strength Easy to install & clean No change in water taste Maintenance Free
Crest tank
MOBILET
PERMAWELL
Extremely strong 30 years’ expected lifespan
20 years’ expected lifespan Modular for 2-, 3-, 4- or more stance toilets
Quick and easy to assemble and install by an unskilled person
Mobile and re-usable from pit to pit
Lightweight - made of 2 semi-circular parts and nestable
Light weight and easy to install
Cost effective to transport and can be hand carried near site
Standard product
Well completed within days Suitable for most soil conditions
Clean and hygienic - made from plastic
Limited supervision required
No more abandoned latrines - saves money
Re-usable if well dries up
WONDER-LOO
SANISLAB
Indoor solution
Safe sanitation with privacy, dignity and security
Quick and easy to install, clean and maintain
No fundi required
No connection to sewer or septic tank No pit
Superior alternative to concrete Saniplat
No running water
Hygienic and easy to clean
No smell Wealth generation from nutrient re-use Environment-friendly Low cost and virtually no running cost
ISO 9001 : 2008 CERTIFIED COMPANY
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“UNBS certified”
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