Water NGOs Boost Preparations For Re-Opening Schools

Posted by: Kyeyune Andrew Jonathan in Uganda news November 17, 2021

A construction startup has made a breakthrough in supplying clean water to schools in rural areas. It uses locally available material to build big stone tanks to harvest and save rainwater.

The 100,000 to 500,000-liter ‘Walugendo Model Tank’ could become the game-changer in rural schools without access to piped water.

Through a three-year pilot project, UMUDRU, the company behind the project, constructed six tanks. It built the tanks in schools located in remote parts of Mpigi,and Kikuube districts.

According to the people benefiting from the project, they said the result are satisfying.

Rita Namutebi, a teacher at one of the benefiting schools says the water storage facility has come in handy for both teachers and learners.

“Life will be easier for us. Gone are the days when we had to walk almost two kilometers to the borehole for water,” she said in an interview.

The project is one of those being pushed by the Uganda Water and Sanitation NGO Network (UWASNET). It is intended to assist learners in rural school to access clean water.

Last week, they presented results of the UMUDRU pilot scheme after a project tour organized by UWANSET.

Education experts also say improved sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools positively impact learner enrollment and academic performance. And, UWANSET, which brings together over 165 NGOs wants to aggregate sanitation facilities in many rural schools.

Major raw materials used include big stones, sand, murram, iron sheets and cement. The sizes also vary depending on the institution’s needs.

Luckily, the Ministry of Water and Environment has given their technology a green light.

However, UMUDRI’s main challenge now is marketing the new tech in the rural communities. Limited manpower is also another challenge.

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