Access to Safe Water
During the summer of 2010, PHP began working on a rainwater harvesting (RH) project in Kashongi and Kitura in partnership with Mayanja Memorial Hospital Foundation and the Duke Global Health Institute. The RH project was designed in response to findings that access to safe drinking water is one of Kashongi and Kitura’s most pressing needs. Local community members played integral roles in conceptualizing the program.
The RH project consists of two components: (1) the construction of rainwater harvesting tanks and (2) a water, sanitation, and hygiene (WSH) education campaign.
Through the program, 74 ferrocement rainwater harvesting tanks will be installed on public buildings throughout Kashongi and Kitura. Each tank has a capacity of 20,000 liters and will provide safe water to community members. Additionally, in each village where a tank is constructed, a committee of community members is elected to establish guidelines for water usage as well as oversee the maintenance of the tank.
The second component of the RH program is a WSH education campaign that disseminates information to both adults and children at three targeted locations: primary schools, public locations throughout the villages, and tank opening ceremonies. To strengthen local capacity, we employed and trained community members to deliver education talks at these locations. In addition, educational posters were designed to provide visual learning aids. These posters were designed to be displayed in specific locations, including kitchens, sanitation facilities, primary schools, and rainwater tanks.
To accurately assess the effects of our RH project, PHP is working in partnership with the Duke Global Health Institute to conduct an impact evaluation of public rainwater harvesting in Kashongi and Kitura.
