Safe and clean water
Statement of need
The community in Budhutu Busibe has limited access to clean water. We know that the population in this area is composed of about 3717 inhabitants and 719 households that share only one borehole. Limited access and distance to clean water sources is a major barrier to proper sanitation and hygiene and adequate drinking water, leading to diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases. Children bear the greatest burden because they spend so much walking long distances to collect water for their families. The girls are especially in danger of being defiled since the paths to the water source are usually deserted and lonely.
This affects their education as many of them are forced to stay out of school, reach late for classes or drop out of school to use time collecting the water. According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics Monograph report 2017, educational attainment at the primary and secondary levels is very low in the Busoga sub-region. 44% and 41.9% left school without effectively completing primary and secondary education. By addressing the water problem in the area, we can improve the population’s quality of life, reduce the distance to water sources and school dropout rate, improve sanitation and hygiene, save time for other activities, improve health and reduce disease.
Why It Matters
The only borehole in Budhutu Busibe, used by 719 households, makes it challenging to access clean water. Further, this problem affects the children mostly because they are the ones that bear the burden of walking long distances and waiting for long in the queue to collect clean water. Most of them must abandon school to support their parents by collecting water and other household chores. Without funding for drilling more boreholes, the kids will continue to be overwhelmed by household chores, suffer from water-borne diseases, and drop out of school, which will significantly affect their adult livelihoods. The three boreholes will reduce the distance to the water sources and decongest the single available in the village. This will make it possible that there will never have to be a choice between fetching water and going to school.
Measuring Impact
During the first year, we aim to have three boreholes drilled to increase access to clean water and improve sanitation and public health.
Our impact and success are measured by the reduced distance travelled to collect water, more water sources available for the community, reduced school dropouts and late coming by the kids.
Sustainability
To ensure sustainability, we plan to ensure community ownership through a contribution by the community members for the maintenance and repair of the boreholes. Monitoring will be done by
Amacue Foundation representatives on ground in conjunction with Community
leaders.
