Lifewater International works with Divine Waters Uganda, a registered Ugandan NGO, in northern Uganda to build hope through community empowerment. Water, sanitation and hygiene education coupled with safe drinking water builds a solid foundation.

Narrative

While Lifewater's project application to Peer Water Exchange to drill a deep well at Amononeno Primary School in northern Uganda was pending, the local government in Uganda authorized a different organization to drill the well. This provided the students at Amononeno with safe drinking sooner than Lifewater could have provided and allowed Lifewater to supply another northern Ugandan primary school with safe drinking water. Lifewater worked with it’s Ugandan partner, Divine Waters Uganda, to contract with a qualified Ugandan drilling company for a hydrogeophysical survey and a deep borehole at Ogorogoro Primary School in northern Uganda.

On May 6, 2011 the drilling installation was completed for a 54.6-meter deep well and a hand pump at Ogorogoro Primary School. The new well has a flow rate of 7.66 gallons/minute, enabling the 1,230 students and 16 teachers to collect a sufficient supply of water each day. The school faculty also received hygiene and sanitation training and curriculum designed for primary school students, as well as follow-up monitoring and support, to form a school health club. Divine Waters also provided advice and encouragement as the school set up a Water Source and Sanitation Committee to oversee the new water source. Students, parents, and teachers are all represented on the committee and specific roles for the different user populations were agreed upon, including creation and maintenance of a soak pit and planting grass around the well to prevent pooling of excess water, fencing the well to protect it against animals, monthly financial contributions to prepare for pump maintenance, and regular cleaning of the hand pump and water storage containers. Ogorogoro Primary School students will now have both the means and ability to maintain their health through safe water for drinking, effective hygiene, and adequate sanitation.

The $50 maintenance cost is the estimated annual cost of well and hand pump maintenance and repair. The community contributes this amount in the form of small monthly household payments which are collected by the Water Source and Sanitation Committee. These contributions support regular maintenance check-ups on the well and repairs as they are needed. Independent water technicians from the communities, trained by the implementing partner, are paid by the communities to conduct site visits and keep the well functioning properly. Lifewater encourages communities to collect this money from users of the water source in order to promote the community’s sense of ownership of and commitment to the water source.

  • Julie Smith of Lifewater International
    • confidential
    Implementation Status: completed Tue 24 Jan 2012, About 12 Years ago

    Lifewater Visit to Ogorogoro Primary School

    Lifewater visited Ogorogoro Primary School in northern Uganda and met with the head teacher. The hand pump is functioning well and even though school was not in session (holidays) the community was using the pump. It is well-kept with a nice fence the community built protecting it from animals and the area is clean.

    • IMG_6502...
    • IMG_6508...
  • Julie Smith of Lifewater International
    • confidential
    Implementation Status: completed Fri 06 May 2011, Almost 13 Years ago

    Deep Well Drilled

    Confirmation of successful drilling of deep well and installation of hand pump at Ogorogoro Primary School, northern Uganda.

    The implementing partner reported the following comments after the well drilling and hygiene training, "[The students] used to drink from a protected spring thinking the water was safe enough. They are so much appreciative and willing to maintain their water source with close supervision of local council 1 since he is close to the well and the school authority due to the big problem they had of Bilharzia."

    • Ogogoro_...
  • Impact Assessment (M&E) Phase Project completed on 6 May, 2011 Implementation Phase
  • Implementation Phase Project started on 1 Oct, 2010 Preparation Phase

Lifewater International works with Divine Waters Uganda, a registered Ugandan NGO, in northern Uganda to build hope through community empowerment. Water, sanitation and hygiene education coupled with safe drinking water builds a solid foundation.

Narrative

While Lifewater's project application to Peer Water Exchange to drill a deep well at Amononeno Primary School in northern Uganda was pending, the local government in Uganda authorized a different organization to drill the well. This provided the students at Amononeno with safe drinking sooner than Lifewater could have provided and allowed Lifewater to supply another northern Ugandan primary school with safe drinking water. Lifewater worked with it’s Ugandan partner, Divine Waters Uganda, to contract with a qualified Ugandan drilling company for a hydrogeophysical survey and a deep borehole at Ogorogoro Primary School in northern Uganda.

On May 6, 2011 the drilling installation was completed for a 54.6-meter deep well and a hand pump at Ogorogoro Primary School. The new well has a flow rate of 7.66 gallons/minute, enabling the 1,230 students and 16 teachers to collect a sufficient supply of water each day. The school faculty also received hygiene and sanitation training and curriculum designed for primary school students, as well as follow-up monitoring and support, to form a school health club. Divine Waters also provided advice and encouragement as the school set up a Water Source and Sanitation Committee to oversee the new water source. Students, parents, and teachers are all represented on the committee and specific roles for the different user populations were agreed upon, including creation and maintenance of a soak pit and planting grass around the well to prevent pooling of excess water, fencing the well to protect it against animals, monthly financial contributions to prepare for pump maintenance, and regular cleaning of the hand pump and water storage containers. Ogorogoro Primary School students will now have both the means and ability to maintain their health through safe water for drinking, effective hygiene, and adequate sanitation.

The $50 maintenance cost is the estimated annual cost of well and hand pump maintenance and repair. The community contributes this amount in the form of small monthly household payments which are collected by the Water Source and Sanitation Committee. These contributions support regular maintenance check-ups on the well and repairs as they are needed. Independent water technicians from the communities, trained by the implementing partner, are paid by the communities to conduct site visits and keep the well functioning properly. Lifewater encourages communities to collect this money from users of the water source in order to promote the community’s sense of ownership of and commitment to the water source.

Sustainability

Creating and measuring long-term impact

On May 14, 2011 Divine Waters Uganda trained the Ogorogoro School staff, students, and parents on best practices for maintenance of the well and hygiene and sanitation behaviors to maximize the health impact of the new safe water source. Specific topics included borehole management and maintenance, disease transmission, safe fecal disposal, and handwashing with soap.

By the end of the training, participants agreed on the formation of bylaws to protect their well. The students promised to collect stones for the soak pit and to maintain it by removing dirt, paper, and bags blown by the wind into the soak pit.
2. The community made sure they formed WSSC committee which involved both pupils teachers and parents to take equal responsibility of the water source. Members of the community agreed to collect 1000 Uganda Shillings ($.38) per household from community members and people from neighboring villages who use the source each month. The elected chair of the Water Source and Sanitation Committee will be responsible for this collection and will use it to maintain the well. The community also agreed to keep the area surrounding the well clean and to wash the containers used to collect, transport, and store the water. These hygiene behaviors will protect the health of the students and surrounding community and will ensure the safe water remains safe.

Impact

People Impacted: 1590

People Getting Safe Drinking Water: 360

Community members surrounding Ogorogoro Primary School

School Children Getting Water: 1230

Primary school students

People Getting Other Benefits: 1023

The school is also benefiting through hygiene and sanitation training and support

Maintenance/Operating Costs Annual, in US$: $50

Creating and measuring long-term impact

On May 14, 2011 Divine Waters Uganda trained the Ogorogoro School staff, students, and parents on best practices for maintenance of the well and hygiene and sanitation behaviors to maximize the health impact of the new safe water source. Specific topics included borehole management and maintenance, disease transmission, safe fecal disposal, and handwashing with soap.

By the end of the training, participants agreed on the formation of bylaws to protect their well. The students promised to collect stones for the soak pit and to maintain it by removing dirt, paper, and bags blown by the wind into the soak pit.
2. The community made sure they formed WSSC committee which involved both pupils teachers and parents to take equal responsibility of the water source. Members of the community agreed to collect 1000 Uganda Shillings ($.38) per household from community members and people from neighboring villages who use the source each month. The elected chair of the Water Source and Sanitation Committee will be responsible for this collection and will use it to maintain the well. The community also agreed to keep the area surrounding the well clean and to wash the containers used to collect, transport, and store the water. These hygiene behaviors will protect the health of the students and surrounding community and will ensure the safe water remains safe.

Implementer: Divine Waters Uganda

Lifewater has partnered with Divine Waters Uganda for 10 years and has trained the staff of the organization in Sanitation, Hygiene, Biosand Filtration, Hand Pump Repair, and Well Drilling. Divine Waters Uganda is the implementing partner based in Lira and has served rural communities in northern Ugandan since 2001; they started work in Abako Sub-county in 2009. Divine Waters Uganda is currently working with LIfewater in Ogur and Abako Sub-Counties on a three year program, which started in 2009.

Funding

funded:
$14,885
Community:
$200
Final Cost:
$14,885

Plan/Proposal