Borehole with handpump for village community

The 2002 national census estimated the population of the district at approximately 325,900 people. Currently, the population is 428,000. For the greater part of the first decade of the 2000s, the majority of the population within the district has been living in camps for internally displaced people as a result of the Lord's Resistance Army war. With the cessation of hostilities between the LRA and the UPDF in 2006, the majority of the people in the IDP camps have moved back to their homes, where they found all infrastructure out of order. The Acholi are both cultivators and pastoralists who have been equal victims of the LRA insurgency and the neighboring Karimojong cattle rustlers. Schools and hospitals have not been spared during the 21 years’ war. Many infrastructures have been damaged and as a result health and education are greatly hampered.

Goals overview

The project aims to improve the general health of the rural population in Bardege village, Pader District in Northern Uganda by constructing one successful borehole, and by sensitising the community on borehole maintenance, and sanitation and hygiene.

Current status

The location is provided by Pader district local government, based on a requisition made by the community and assessed needs. The community has been sensitised about the future project, and a Water User Committee has been formed. The project is part of a larger program executed in Pader District, constituting in total of the construction of 4 boreholes and protection of 7 springs, including community mobilisation.

Project plan

The safe water will significantly reduce the time women and children spend collecting water hence giving them time to focus on other activities. The safe water will also improve the general health situation in the villages by reducing water borne diseases. Household incomes will be spent on other development rather than treating water related diseases.

Expected outcomes

• Borehole with handpump providing community with safe water
• Education on sanitation and hygiene of village community
• Sensitisation of community on O&M including financing
• Active water user committee with 50% of management women

The sustainability of the borehole will be safeguarded by the following activities: 1. Conduct sensitisation visit to selected villages to meet district, sub county and village authorities, 2. Sensitise Water Source Committees and the community on their roles before, during and after the project period, sign memorandum of understanding, application form and land deed, 3. Conduct a practical training of water source committees on operation and maintenance of water sources and encourage users to contribute financially in future for sustainability, 4. Monitor and encourage community participation during construction

LTP and/or its partners have already financed water sources in more than 200 villages. In villages, LTP conducts a sanitation baseline survey in the target communities at the beginning of the project and continues sensitising them to improve on their sanitation and hygiene practices. They are trained and monitored on how to provide the sanitation facilities at home which include pit latrines, bath shelters, refuse pits, drying racks, descent hoses for different categories of people at home, animal and poultry houses. They are further trained on proper sanitation and hygiene practices with the resultant improvement in sanitation and hygiene in the target communities.