Flood affected communities benefit from WASH project

Kasese, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Communities hosting Internally Displaced Persons-IDPs in Kasese district have benefited from the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene-WASH project.

The project was funded by OXFAM and implemented in partnership with Foundation for Urban and Rural Advancement (FURA) and Kasese district.

The project focused on improving access to dignified sanitary facilities and strengthening safe water chain management to 1100 households affected by floods in May this year.

Under the project, 20 block community latrines and 20 block bath room shelters were constructed in Maliba, Kyairumba, Kiraro and Karusandara sub counties.

The project also saw the distribution of water treated disinfectants like aqua tabs and water containers and implementation of community awareness and advocacy campaigns on waste disposal.

Rashid Mawejje, the Public Health Promotion Team leader at OXFAM, says their initial findings indicated that most water sources in communities affected by floods were contaminated with fecal matter resulting from open defecation.

Most households lost their latrines to the tidal waves. Mawejje explains that they were concerned with the absence of dignified sanitary facilities where female, male and children in camps shared the same facilities.

Sokwere Bwambale, a camp leader at Nkaiga in Maliba sub county says the construction of the latrines is a sigh of relief to the community that has been under threat of disease outbreaks.

Dimetiria Kibwana from Kakindo in Maliba whose homestead was washed away has welcomed the intervention as timely.

He says both the IPDs and host communities have been facing a challenges of accessing sanitary facilities.

Majid Mbajo from Karusandara sub county hails the project, he says they had already started experiencing water borne diseases such as diarrhea.

He prays that government considers sinking new boreholes in the area to increase access to clean water.

Simon Mumbere from Kiraro in Kitholhu sub county says most families in his area lack sanitary facilities.

Kasese District Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Samuel Ssenku Senkya, says the district is committed to partner with various organisations to improve the lives of the communities that have been ravaged by floods.

At least 100 households in Kasese district are still trapped in camps in Maliba and Karusandara sub counties.

The district has been encouraging the flood victims to vacate the camps and return to their homes.

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