African
Well Fund Progress Report
This
report provides information on the activities of the
African Well Fund Project
from inception to September 30, 2003.
Table
below presents the list of sites and the progress to
September 30, 2003.
Thank
you to Africare for pictures and progress report.
|
| |
Water
source location |
Parish |
Sub
County |
Number
of people served |
| Completed
Sites |
| 1 |
Ibumba Shallow Well |
Mukoni |
Ngoma |
540 |
| 2 |
Kikoni
Shallow Well |
Kikoni |
Ntungamo
TIC |
470 |
| 3 |
Kabananiye
Shallow well |
Kiyanja |
Ngoma |
420 |
| 4 |
Nyaburiiza
Shallow well |
Nyaburiiza |
Ntungamo
SIC |
460 |
| Sites
Where work is in progress |
| 5 |
Omukayanja
Shallow well |
Kiyanja |
Ngoma |
300 |
| 6 |
Kashenyi
Spring |
Buhanama |
Itojo |
400 |
| 7 |
Kanyakungu
Spring |
Itojo |
Itojo |
320 |
| 8 |
Nyakabaga
Spring tank |
Mugyera
|
Ngoma |
500 |
|
Sites where work will commence
this week |
| 9 |
Buhanama
Shallow well |
Buhanama |
Itojo |
300 |
| 10 |
Nyarubaare
Spring tank |
Ntungamo
S/C |
Ntungamo |
470 |
| 11 |
Kyamugashe Spring tank |
Kabungo |
Rweikiniro |
300 |
| 12 |
Mutanoga
Spring |
Kizaara
|
Ntungamo S/C |
280 |
| 13 |
Rusharara
Spring |
Ruhama |
Ruhama |
380 |
| 14 |
Omungyenyi
Shallow Well |
omungyenyi |
Rubaare |
520
|
|
| CONSTRUCTION
OF SPRINGS: |
| Construction
work is underway in three spring sites: Kanyankungu (Itojo),
Nyakabaga (Ngoma), and Kashenyi Spring( Itojo). Work is
to start on one spring located in Kyamugashe (Rwekiniro)
and Nyarubaare (Ntungamo sub-county). Work will commence
on the remaining two shallow well sites and four springs. |
Omukiyanya Well site before the well was constructed.
|
Nyakabaga Spring site before protection |
| PARTICIPATORY
WATER SITUATION ANALYSIS: |
| In
order to identify the existing water sources, Ntungamo
District local government staff and Africare conducted
water situation analyses in the target sub-counties. The
communities were located in areas that were susceptible
to drought and/or the water was contaminated with severe
water borne illnesses. Community members in the targeted
areas were mobilized to identify the appropriate technologies
applicable to solve their current water situation. |
Mukoni shallow well before any activity on site.
This picture shows the animal water trough and
the pond where the community was fetching water.
|
|
Mukoni site as materials are being gathered
for construction. |
|
| MOBILIZATION
OF THE LOCAL MATERIALS AND PUMPS: |
| At
each well site a Water User Committee was formed. The
comnittees were educated on sanitation messages and the
importance of collecting a water user fee; and were trained
on water site maintenance. The water committees mobilized
their respective communities to gather the local materials
on the sites, in order to initiate their sense of ownership.
U3 pumps and other locally unavailable fittings were purchased
from Kampala. All the communities responded with such
enthusiasm that in less than six days, all required materials
were gathered. |
| DISTRICT
OFFICIALS INAUGURATE WORK ON THE FIRST SITE, MUKONI: |
Construction
work on the U3 Pump mounted hand dug wells by the District
and Ngoma Sub-County Officials had a hand on the excavation
of the Mukoni Shallow well. The Secretary for Finance
and Planning, who happens to be the area representative
in the District Council, represented the Chairman and
praised initiatives which "focus on helping the most
un reached villages where no other person would be willing
to reach.".
The Secretary then took a hoe and cut off pieces of top-soil
to begin the excavation of the 18- feet deep well. Work
commenced and was completed on three additional shallow
well sites of Kikoni, Nyaburiiza and Kiyanja. Presently
work is on going on one shallow well site of Omukiyanja,
in Ngoma sub-county. At each of the sites, the communities
participated with the project masons and porters to excavate
the 18 feet depth for the aquifer reservoirs. The excavated
site was then lined with pre-cast concrete rings up to
ground level. After the ring molds Were in place a filtration
process for inflowing water was constructed. Using assorted
aggregate stones, the inflowing water passes through the
stone filter, and collects any remaining debris in the
water. The whole formation was sealed off from surface
run off using clay and polythene sheeting.
A slab structure was constructed for convenient fetching
of water, while at the same time ensuring a sanitary surrounding
environment.
The water in the reservoir was pumped out and each completed
well site was disinfected with chlorine, before the pump
was installed. |
| CONCLUSION:
|
The
importance of the Africare Wells Project is being recognized
and greatly appreciated. Children and women in the communities
are greatly benefiting from all of the investments which
have ensured clean drinking water. At the official opening
of the shallow well site in Mukoni, the area councilor
was so moved by the effort of the community and expressed
willingness, as a District, to support such programs
interested in reaching where no other person was willing
to reach. Mzee Kampororo at the Kikoni shallow well
in Ntungamo Town Council, commented, "I personally
taught President Museveni in class and have seen generations
pass but have never got access to such clean source
of water, near enough for me and my old wjfe, who can
no longer even walk from the house without support.
Thanks for this selfless gift This water has breathed
fresh life in me."
He washed his face with the clear water from the hand
pump and sighed with relief.
In
Kiyanga, site of one shallow well, communities made
a nine feet depth excavation on their own before the
project masons started work on the site. The water user
committee had collected a fee of 25,000 shillings from
the families within the community, before the work began.
When asked, the chairman of the committee commented,
"We have had a problem of water here for a long
time and we really need your support to save our children
from this diarrhoea and our women from walking the three
kilometers every day to find good water." He said
they were supporting their committee and pump caretaker
to be able to maintain their pump after the project
masons have it installed. |
