Lifewater with the Aall Foundation in Karambi Uganda January 2024
Background
Water access rates in Kasese vary from 18 % in Kyondo Sub-County to 95 % in Ihandiro Sub- County. Kasese has 3,391 domestic water points which serve a total of 503,677 people – 353,411 in rural areas. 494 water points have been non-functional for over 5 years and are considered abandoned. Kasese has 1 piped schemes.
Karambi is one of the sub counties in Kasese district in Uganda. It has 10 parishes and 84 villages. Karambi Sub-county is located on the Uganda Congo Border in the mount Rwenzori Ranges and its comprised of a heterogeneous community that freely crosses in and out of Democratic Republic of Congo. This community has also recently had various ADF rebel attacks, the most recent being one on a school where 40 students lost their lives.
In addition to all the above community has access to poor water sources that are heavily contaminated. These are mainly ponds, unprotected springs, rivers and Underground water. Some of these are heavily contaminated. The above factors are recipe for cholera transmission and hence this region faces a high prevalence of waterborne diseases, posing significant health risks to the local population.
In response to this critical need, LifeWater, with generous sponsorship from The Aall Foundation, initiated a project to provide water filters to 125 homesteads in Kisolholho Parish, Karambi Subcounty which rely on River Lhubiriha as the primary water source.
Key Activities
1. Community Needs Assessment
Our team conducted an assessment to identify households most at risk due to dependence on River Lhubiriha and the prevalence of waterborne diseases.
They engaged with community leaders, and residents to understand the specific challenges and gather valuable insights and to plan for the distribution.
2. Community Engagement and Awareness
On 2nd January, 2024, the Lifewater Core Team, with support of the Watchmen area Coordinator Pastor Bwambale Stephen, organized community meetings and workshops to raise awareness about waterborne diseases, their causes, and the importance of clean water. They educated the selected beneficiaries on the proper usage, maintenance, and benefits of the provided water filters and requested them to make stands early so as to enjoy the benefits of the systems.
3. Distribution of Water Filters
On 8th and 9th January, 2024 The Lifewater Core Team together with Pastor Stephen and the Karambi Africa Youth Award team carried out the distribution of 125 kits in the above village. The team provided hands-on training to beneficiaries on the installation and maintenance of the filters.
Among the above beneficiaries were 5 schools (the lowest having an enrolment of 150 pupils), Karambi sub-county offices, Karambi police post, and several churches that are frequented by many people.
The 125 Lifewater systems distributed will serve an estimate 4600+ people with clean drinking water for the foreseeable future!
The area Chairperson welcomed us and other area leaders present to Karambi. He extended his gratitude to watchmen and encouraged the beneficiaries to use them well so that they help our lives. He encouraged them not to trust their water sources and to use the Lifewater systems to make the water safe for drinking.
He thanked the Karambi Chrisco Church Pastor Stephen Bwambale for coordination with Watchmen that for training the young people in the community and also for bringing the Lifewater systems to the community.
The OC Karambi Station Mr Arite Kennedy said he was grateful for the Lifewater systems that have been brought to the area. He thanked The Aall Foundation and Lifewater for presenting them an opportunity to save money that would have been spent on paying medical bills, buying firewood for boiling water and save our lives too.
The Community Development Officer Karambi, Kabugho Jennifer Daniel, extended her gratitude to Pastor Stephen Lifewater and the sponsors, The Aall Foundation for the help extended to the community. She mentioned that the statistics at Bwera hospital indicated that Karambi is one of the areas with many typhoid cases. She mentioned that she knows that with the kits we had received there will be a reduction in water borne diseases if they are well utilized.
Monitoring and Evaluation
The recently established Africa Youth Award team was retrained and supported with the forms and facilitation to carry out the first spot monitoring checks. They will also take part in the comprehensive monitoring and evaluation to track the impact of water filters on water quality and the prevalence of waterborne diseases. This team will Conduct regular follow-up visits to ensure proper filter usage and address any concerns or challenges faced by the community.
Community Empowerment and expected outcomes
125 Beneficiaries received systems: Preliminary water quality assessments indicate a substantial reduction in contaminants, contributing to a safer water supply.
Empowered community members through knowledge transfer on sustainable water management
Improved Health Impact: We expect a decline in waterborne diseases within the targeted households, indicating a positive impact on community health.
To achieve the above regular monitoring and follow-up to ensure sustained filter usage starting with the spot check monitoring that AYA members will start days after the distribution.
Conclusion
The provision of water filters to 125 homesteads in Karambi Sub county, sponsored by The Aall Foundation and implemented by Life Water, is a significant stride in improving water quality and reducing waterborne diseases. The collaborative effort between stakeholders and the local community is a testament to the project’s success and its potential for long- term impact.
Thank you to The Aall Foundation for making this happen!