Section 1
This month Wells of Life drilled its 617thwell and rehabilitated it’s 117thwell as a contribution to ending water scarcity and as a chance to alleviate some of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water across the globe.
Like the rest of the world, Uganda faces major challenges: population growth, climate change and the current health crisis threaten people and their livelihoods. Home to 3.3% of Africa’s population today (45 million people), the World Bank growth forecasts are formidable: by 2050 Uganda’s population is expected to double. Needless to say, population growth will amplify the challenges related to drinking water access.
On a positive note, some initiatives are underway to improve water access in the country. Wells of Life is involved in numerous projects that directly address water scarcity through construction and rehabilitation of quality wells for abstraction of ground water in different parts of Uganda.
L-R: Rev. Fr. Lucian Twinamatsiko, Secretary of the Bishop, Rt. Rev. Callist Rubaramira, Bishop of Kabale Diocese and Adrian Laurentiu, Country Director Wells of Life Uganda
The Kabale Catholic Diocese covers six Districts: Kabale, Rubanda, Rukungiri, Kisoro, Kanungu, Ntungamo. In these districts, statistics show a rosy picture of high levels of water coverage ranging from 90% in Kanungu to 43% in Kisoro, however the reality on the ground are dry taps from non-functional gravity flow schemes with women and children moving over 3 kilometers to locate water at the foot of the hills. Groundwater abstraction has also been controversial in these districts of southwestern Uganda, with several attempts to drilling failing. Districts such as Kabale, Rubanda and Kisoro have some of the lowest numbers of boreholes much as the borehole technology remains the most commonly used in rural water supply nationally.
According to the District Water Officer (DWO) of Kabale – Patience Aharinta, no well has been drilled in Kabale in her tenure since 2019 and the district is in great need of access to clean water.
From what seemed like an impossible mission, this year Wells of Life constructed 11 wells in the 2 neighboring districts of Kabale and Rubanda for the Catholic Dioceses of Kabale with support of the Mercy Works Foundation. Over the next 2 years Wells of Life will drill 20 more wells in the Diocese of Kabale.
Bishop Rt. Rev. Callist who is a strong advocate of community responsibility for well sustainability is committed to setting up highly functional Water Committees. Priests and local leaders will oversee these committees with a goal to ensure the maintenance of the well.
Before Nyonga village received a well, Julius and his siblings walked nearly an hour to a pond called Mbilidde. On top of the water at the pond being contaminated, fetching water for his family by walking every morning and evening, made him to arrive at school late and tired most of the time. This meant he missed class time, which led to his poor performance. “I lost count of times that I needed to use water but could not access it to brush my teeth daily, bathe and quench my thirst after playing soccer with my friends at school.” Said Julius. With the various tasks that made up his daily routine, inaccessibility to clean water was such an obstacle to his happiness as a child. He comes from a family of 10 children. Now that he and his siblings have access to safe water nearby, they can focus on studying and enjoying their childhood.
Sselwanga Julius, a 13-year-old boy, is one of the beneficiaries of Well #538 constructed by Wells of Life in in Nyonga Village, Kassanda District this year..
“When our well broke down, my son Joel (13 years old) used to walk for a distance of about 4 miles to fetch water in the valley. It was such a long walk from our home, and it was always exhausting for my child. The situation has changed ever since Wells of Life repaired our well, providing clean water and easy access to it. We have realized sanitation and hygiene-related improvements within just months. Our children now drink clean water and bathe regularly without necessarily worrying about the water accessibility. They reach school in time, which has improved their performance. Pregnant mothers no longer walk long distances for water, which is a guaranteed safety for their unborn babies.” Mary Gutti of Ssekanyonyi Village, Mityana District where Wells of Life Rehabilitated well #R81
Residents of Ssekanyonyi village fetching water from the rehabilitated well #R81.
Data Triangulation for Better Monitoring of sector indicators
For the past 04 years Wells of Life has concentrated its efforts in 3 neighboring districts of Mityana, Mubende and Kasanda with an aim of saturating wells and ultimately contributing towards universal access to safe water. Through this move over 350 new wells have been sunk in the region.
In 2009 the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) estimated that up to US$360m had been spent on building boreholes and wells that then become useless because they are not maintained or fixed when they break down.
Uganda has a Water Supply Atlas (database) which covers all 136 districts of withWater information from Point Water Sources, Piped Schemes and National Water & Sewerage Corporation. The purpose of this Water Supply Database (WSDB) is to provide stakeholders with good knowledge and information on matters concerning the current safe water supply coverage, functionality and distribution of water among others. According to this database, Uganda currently has about 15% of its wells in rural areas not functioning.
For reasons like this Wells of Life started rehabilitating non functional wells in their region of operation and have since restored 117 wells in Mityana District alone. We also assigned all wells we drilled or restored to an Area Service Provider in charge of ensuring continuous functionality through a preventative maintenance approach.
‘Despite the input by partners like Wells of Life, Water coverage statistics in the region barely change.’
In April 2021 Wells of Life tabled a discussion on the need for triangulation of MWE WSDB data with members of the UWASNET Good Governance Technical Working Group. Data from the Water Atlas was assessed side by side with data from water supply interventions carried out in the region where we operate and we realized some gaps. For instance, functionality in Mityana District has been at 68% for the past 3 years despite the investment wells of Life has made in restoring 117 nonfunctional wells in the district.
Now, one might argue that wells keep breaking down but before you throw my argument out, consider the fact that in April 2021 the WSDB indicated that there are 298 functional and 100 nonfunctional wells in Mityana. Fast forward 5 months later the database still indicates the same figures despite the fact that Wells of Life rehabilitated 33 wells between April and August 2021. We also shared construction reports with the authorities in Mityana.
In May 2021, Wells of Life and Whave Solutions conducted a census for water sources in Kassanda District to serve as a baseline for scaling their operation restoration program there. The study also revealed discrepancies between data in the WSDB and the reality on the ground, e.g. the study found a total of 197 deep boreholes in existence in the district while the WSDB today indicates a total of 153 wells. Between May and August 2021 alone, Wells of Life constructed 10 new deep wells in Kassanda district.
It is in this regard that we continue to advocate for triangulation of sector data in order for effective monitoring of Uganda’s sector indicators to take place. Triangulation facilitates validation of data through cross verification from more than two sources.
From the UWASNET Good Governance TWG meeting of April, the following practices were tabled for adoption by sector partners to help improve quality of sector data;
- District level data validation meetings (During the District Water Sanitation Coordination Committee Meeting’s)
- Strengthened comprehensive reporting for CSOs
- Roll out SDG 6.1-2 Monitoring framework further to all partners
- District wide surveys
- Creation of a parallel database to mirror government data
- Disseminations
Section 2
Sustainable WASH Improvement: Empowering Health workers through Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) and Follow Up MANDONA (FUM) Trainings
In 2021 Wells of Life have teamed up with Ministry of Health’s Environmental Health Unit to build capacity of health workers to realize a more sustainable future for Mityana’ s rural communities.
As part of Wells of Life’s hygiene and Sanitation Improvement initiative, known as the Healthy Village Program, 30 health extension workers from Mityana District were trained in WASH development approaches of Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) and Follow Up MANDONA (FUM). Categories of health workers trained included, Community Development Officers, Health inspectors, Health assistants as well as VHT Parish coordinators.
The trainings which were both theoretical and practical had the latter aspects carried out in the communities of Kakindu where Wells of Life’s Healthy Village Program is being implemented.
“District local government extension workers have a lot of local knowledge and experience from working in communities where they are deployed; It is sustainable to build their capacity because once this is done they can deliver even beyond the lifespan and geographic scope of projects”. Pascal Olinga, Deputy Country Director – Wells of Life
The Wells of Life, Healthy Village initiative which closely aligns with the UN’s water related Sustainable Development Goals, seeks to inspire action to address Mityana’s water, sanitation and hygiene challenges and restore dignity to families.
The CLTS and FUM approaches main goal is to end open defecation and its consequences of spread of deadly diseases like Cholera, diarrhea etc. In order to end Open Defecation, environmentally safe sanitary facilities (which prevent human contact with human waste) are a must have in all households. This is to be achieved through promoting the construction of improved latrine structures by households; the project also promotes use of other facilities like drying racks and bathing shelters in households.
This year Wells of Life is targeting 20 villages in Kakindu Sub County, having 2274 households. Of these households, 23% still practice open defecation and only about XX% of household latrines provide adequate privacy while in use.
Wells of Life have invested in building capacity of health workers from the Mityana district in CLTS and FUM, we are grateful for their support and will use the skills to support their programs in Kakindu. The training we have received will also help us in implementing CLTS in Ssekanyonyi and Bulera Sub Counties under the district sanitation grant this financial year. Alex Akaka – Health Inspector in Mityana,
We provide one thing: DIGNITY!!! To people that have nothing and are valued by nobody. We offer the opportunity to receive one vital human distinction: Dignity in the image of God.
Caption the 2 latrines showing transformation from a traditional latrine with limited privacy to an improved latrine.
Section 3
Tales of Lockdown and Menstruation
You have probably heard of the adage that ‘the average Ugandan is a 17 year old adolescent girl who struggles to manage her menstruation with dignity’ well you ought to know that during this current COVID-19 pandemic many of these girls struggled more to manage their menstruation with dignity. Uganda has over 20 million girls and women who are or have been menstruating while simultaneously coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. For many, the ability to safely manage their menstrual health and hygiene remains a widely unmet need, in part because discussion of menstruation is time and again considered taboo.
Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) plays a vital role in menstrual hygiene management and can either help or hinder peoples’ healthy and dignified management of their periods. However, in many settings around Uganda, the difficulties of managing menstrual hygiene while simultaneously grappling with a continued lack of access to WASH resources remains an everyday struggle. It is estimated that roughly 15.53 million people lack access to safely managed drinking water services, and only about 34.2 million Ugandans living in rural areas lack access to safely managed sanitation services. Too often, these basic resources are not easily accessible for particularly women and girls who menstruate.
The increased demand for limited WASH resources, particularly in rural communities that are water stressed put further constraints on menstrual hygiene management. There is tension between competing needs: using water to combat the spread of COVID-19 or using water to support menstruators’ needs. More often than not, menstrual hygiene management needs become secondary –
Harriet Ayugi Senior WASH Officer Wells of Life
The impacts of COVID-19 have reinforced the challenges associated with menstruation, as crucial WASH resources have been diverted to cope with the pandemic, further intensifying existing inequalities for women, girls, and others who menstruate. Failing to adequately and respectfully address menstrual hygiene needs can compromise menstruators’ physical and mental health, and limit their social and economic development opportunities.
With the closure of schools due to COVID-19 lockdown effects, there has been a lack of access to both necessary menstrual hygiene information and supplies. Restrictions around freedom of movement and mandatory quarantining have forced many to remain at home where they are often unable to access sufficient sanitary supplies. According to a 2021 study by Forum for African Women Educationalists Uganda (FAWEU), Some families with a high number of children cannot feed their children cannot provide the basic needs. A parent may consider buying a sanitary towel when a girl is going back to a boarding school however when this girl is at home, it’s not seen as an emergency. This study by FAWEU calls for a need to place strong emphasis on ensuring that girls have access to sanitary materials.
In view of this, during the 2nd Whave of the COVID-19 associated lockdowns, Wells of Life not only accelerated its water supply initiatives but also donated reusable menstrual hygiene kits to girls from rural villages of Mityana District. In partnership with the Miss Uganda Foundation and the Movit Products brand Skinguard we reached out to 4,000 girls with a menstrual kit comprising 3 sanitary pads, a piece of soap and a pair of knickers. The girls also received mentorship and discussed pertinent life issues affecting them with the girls from the Miss Uganda Foundation.
In this campaign Miss Uganda 20/21 Elizabeth Bagaya flanked by her 1st and 2nd runners up played a big role in spreading information and awareness about menstruation and how to manage it, encouraging use of adequate safe water and materials by women and girls to stay clean during their period and also being confident.
“Effectively tackling menstruation stigma and achieving good menstrual hygiene practices in rural communities requires a multifaceted approach. Thank you Wells of Life for your generous donations that are helping girls in Mityana district. With menstrual knowledge and resources, young girls can continue to pursue what they dream to become in future…Some want to be beauty queens like Me.”: Elizabeth Bagaya, Miss Uganda – 2020/21.
Confidence is a virtue that many of our sisters, daughters, friends and mothers lack in life, It is generally hard to overcome any of life challenges if one is not confident including overcoming menstrual related issues, I am grateful to Wells of Life for the partnership with Miss Uganda Foundation that has granted us an opportunity to interact with the girls in the communities of Mityana and get to share with them vital issues such as Confidence and menstrual hygiene health. Mariam Nyamatte _ Miss Uganda 1st Runner Up 20/21
Miss Uganda Foundation partnered with Wells of Life during distribution of menstrual kits to girls in Mityana district.
Adrian Laurentiu – Country Director, Wells of Life Uganda receives donation of soap from Herbert Egesa- Brand Manager Skin Guard.
A menstrual Kit brought hope to a better future.
“Today, during the awareness session, Wells of Life and Miss Uganda told us it is okay to share our thoughts and feelings. So most of us came out and shared our experiences, what we did the first time we had our period, challenges we are meeting while managing menstruation during the lockdown period when schools are closed and other problems we face as girls. My grandmother, had taught me a bit about menstruation, but today I have learnt a lot more, received a menstrual hygiene kit and even chatted with Miss Uganda. Thank you Wells of Life! Oliver 13, Kileku Village, Mityana
Oliver Mugisha, holding out her menstrual kit donated by Wells of Life.
Section 4
Wells of Life COVID-19 donations to Uganda.
Still about COVID-19, unlike its 2020 comparative, the 2nd Whave this year shocked many with a higher rate of infections and death among people of all ages including children. While the country’s health system was under pressure with high numbers of patients, health workers and their families were exposed to unprecedented levels of risk of infection and or death because of limited availability of personal protective equipment and in some cases inadequate WASH facilities that foster good Infection and Prevention and Control.
Mityana District Health Officer, Dr. Lwasampijja Fred (in pink) together with Wells of Life team during the handover of the donations to Mityana district local government.
Wells of life are members of COVID 19 Taskforce in districts of Mityana, Kasanda and Mubende Districts, in the spirit of fast response, the organization supported 04 districts with supplies for improving infection prevention and control (IPC) including Hand sanitizers, Liquid soap, Surgical masks, Latex medical gloves and Temperature guns.
The support was handed over to District Health Offices for redistribution among Hospitals in 04 districts of Mityana, Kassanda, Mubende and Kabale.
During the handing over of supplies at Mityana district local government offices, in the presence of representatives from Wells of Life and Mityana district Covid-19 Task force team, led by the Mityana District Health Officer, Dr. Lwasampijja Fred, the donation from the organization was warmly received and appreciated by the task force team. The supplies will help supplement in the local government health facilities and protect health workers as they respond to the major health crisis.
“We are thankful to Wells of Life for its integrated endeavor here in Mityana district. We pledge as the district task force team to properly manage the supplies received to save lives in our communities.”
Dr. Fred Lwasampijja – District Health Officer, Mityana.
In Schools Wells of Life has provided both temporary and permanent hand washing stations to boost prevention of spread of COVID-19 among pupils. Many of the schools struggle to meet the required Ministry of Health SOPs and some schools were forced to close operations even before the government closed schools generally in June this year. Wells of Life has supported 40 primary schools with temporary facilities and constructed permanent facilities for hand washing in 07 schools in Mityana District.