East Africa: Uganda Project Profile
Quick Facts
Capital city: Kampala
Population: 35.9 million
Access to Improved Sanitation: Just 3.9 Million
Key Information: More to come…
WTW’s Impact: Over 50,000 people have been reached with clean water.
Water Solutions Used: Bio-Sand Filtration, Rainwater Harvesting, Well Repair, WaSH (Water, Sanitation, & Hygiene)
Background
Uganda is a country that’s been ravaged by civil war and lack of solid governmental structure. This unrest has led to poor water access and dire sanitation and hygiene conditions, even more so in rural areas.
Only 65% of Ugandan’s have access to safe water. Many communities solely rely on contaminated water sources such as streams and open wells or they’re forced to share overcrowded pit latrines.
In unplanned urban settlements near Kampala, residents pay up to three times more for safe tap water than residents living in planned urban communities. As a result, residents collect water from alternate contaminated sources. This causes frequent outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as cholera and dysentery.
Wine To Water’s Impact
Wine To Water began working in Uganda in 2007. Since then, over 50,000 people have been provided with clean drinking water through a variety of water technologies.
Wine To Water’s Ugandan team works with local community leaders to set up community resource centers. Each resource center is focused on training community leaders to then facilitate clean water and sanitation education to Ugandans in the surrounding area. Training the local population ensures the sustainability and longevity of our ground projects in Uganda.
Water Solutions Used
- Bio-Sand Filter: The bio-sand filter is a locally made concrete box, filled with specific gravel and sand sizes. It creates a slow sand filtration process and active bio-layer that can remove 96.5% of harmful bacteria, 99.99% of protozoa, and 90% of viruses; greatly decreasing the occurrence of diarrhea and waterborne diseases. The BSF is typically installed at the household level and capable of filtering 20 gallons per day. The more you use it the more effective it is, and it can last indefinitely. Because of ease of use, low maintenance, and high effectiveness, the BSF is a textbook appropriate technology.
2. Rainwater Harvesting: One of the most ancient and natural ways of providing water access is rainwater harvesting. This most commonly involves installing a large water reservoir (up to 4,000 gallons) with a gutter system to collect water from large structures such as schools and community centers. Most of our RWH tanks are made from Interlocking Stabilized Soil Blocks (ISSB’s). This green technology allows people to make building blocks on site without traditional firing; only mixing murram soil with cement and compressed manual using a brick machine. These ISSB’s are cheaper and stronger than traditional bricks and make the tanks more permanent by preventing any theft. Plastic tanks are also used where material for ISSB’s is not available. These RWH tanks are in high demand not only because they provide a protected water source but one that is extremely convenient, durable, and easy to maintain.
3. Well Repair: As many as 1 in every 3 wells in Sub-Saharan Africa are in non-working order. Our well repair programs start with site assessments on broken wells with cooperation from government water officials. Community members are informed of the program and invited to send their own water committee members to attend well management training. This interactive training addresses the root causes of why the wells have remained inoperable; covering topics such as community ownership, source protection, and managing finances. The physical/mechanical repairs are then completed, most commonly involving repairing broken hand pump parts and leaking pipes, at a fraction of the cost of drilling a new well.
4. WaSH Education: WaSH is an acronym, standing for “Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene,” a group of interrelated major public health issues found in the developing world. It is extremely important for people to understand how water, sanitation, and hygiene are directly connected to health, education, and poverty.
This is why WTW strives to include WaSH education with all of our partners and projects. These workshops are always interactive and fun, including topics such as local WaSH issues, what a healthy community is, disease transmission, and the cycle of poverty. Local leaders are given the responsibility of continuing the promotion of proper WaSH practices within their communities.
