Aall Foundation Villages project – Kisiita West B Lifewater Distribution Sept. 2023
BACKGROUND:
Kakumiro District is found in the Western part of Uganda in the Bunyoro sub-region. The red area on the map below marks its location.
The access rates in Kakumiro vary from 12 % in Kakindo Sub-County to 95 % in Bwanswa Sub-County. Kakumiro has 641 domestic water points which serve a total of 151,326 people – 146,725 in rural areas. 121 water points have been non-functional for over 5 years and are considered abandoned. http://wsdb.mwe.go.ug/index.php/reports/district/126
For Kisiita, access to clean and safe water stands at 16%, serving a population of 16,108. The functionality of the water points stands at 75% with only 50 water points functional.
Below is summary of water access in Kisiita.
Due to the above reasons, Watchmen International, with sponsorship from the AALL Foundation under their Lifewater project, extended their support of ceramic water filter systems to 125 homesteads in Kisiita West B village in Kisiita sub-county. This is to bridge the gaps in access to clean and safe drinking water in this community.
DISTRIBUTION:
The distribution took place from the 26th to the 27th/ 09/2023. The core team led by Pastor Caleb Kabaho, and the Kakumiro team lead by Pastor Kagurusi, started the distribution at 10:00am. The team began with a brief introduction by the Local Chairperson who then invited the Lifewater coordinator to flag off the distribution.
REGISTRATION:
The AYA members helped with the registration of beneficiaries. This is important to as it enables the team to collect the beneficiaries’ data that is important for follow-up monitoring.
TRAINING:
The team trained the beneficiaries on:
- Water, sanitation and health
- How the Lifewater system works
- How to set up a Lifewater system
- How to maintain a Lifewater system
After the training, the beneficiaries were given hands-on training on how to set up the Lifewater system under the supervision of the AYA members. They all had opportunity to ask questions. The distribution was completed in two days. On the first day we had good weather and all the beneficiaries scheduled for the day attended.
On the second day it rained heavily but not even the rain could stop the beneficiaries from taking part in this distribution.
In total, 125 homesteads in Kisiita West B benefited from this distribution. These homesteads are inhabited by a total of 782 people.
APPRECIATION REMARKS:
The Chairperson for the area expressed his gratitude to Watchmen International Uganda for supporting his village members with Lifewater ceramic filter systems that will give them access to safe drinking water. He informed us that the village’s main water sources were, boreholes and rainwater which, with the aid of water filter systems, will avail the villages with clean and safe drinking water.
Pastor Kagurusi, the area Coordinator, also extended his gratitude to Lifewater and The Aall Foundation for the support they have extended to his villages in the past. The ongoing monitoring informs of funds and replacements needed to enable the systems to continue in use.
The distribution was covered by the press and the chairperson sensitised the community that there would be a team periodically monitoring the local homes to offer technical support to the beneficiaries if they encounter any challenge while using the systems.
POST DISTRIBUTION MONITORING:
After the distribution we visited some local homes showing the monitors how best to carry out monitoring. We carefully observed how the Lifewater systems had been set up. We were happy to find systems already in use.
We also visited the village carpenter and shared with him the best measurements and the different designs of stands that he could make. We emphasized the need for strong stands due to the weight they are to support.
CONCLUSION:
We are grateful for all the teams that took part to make the distribution successful. We appreciated Pastor Kagurusi for all the mobilization he did to ensuring the distribution went well and for his commitment to Lifewater projects. Thank you Lifewater UK.
Thank you Aall Foundation for making this possible!
