PROJECT BACKGROUND
Caritas Fort Portal-HEWASA is implementing a WASH SDG 6 program Under the WASH Alliance in Agago district aimed at contributing to sustainable and equitable access to and use of Inclusive WASH services by communities through the adoption and scale-up of improved WASH behavioral practices. Combinations of community-based approaches are being used to create awareness and understanding of WASH needs and rights by the communities and institutions. Using demand driven approaches, the communities and institutions are realizing the need to invest in improved WASH services and linked with WASH focused service providers and government WASH structures. The increased demand, access to and use of improved WASH services will ultimately lead to the sustainable access to and practice of inclusive WASH services by all. The project is working with community members through different approaches among which is building partnerships/ linkages with business enterprises and financial institutions to ensure that there is an improvement in WASH service provision.
Achievements of the project
Construction of 2 Fossa Alterna Ecosan Latrines in two Primary Schools of Anywe Palaro and Kubwo.
- Construction of 2 Ferro cement Rain Water Harvesting Tanks on at Kubwo Primary School and another at Lanyinyiri Health Centre II.
- Fabrication and distribution of 10 waste bins in 3 schools and 2 Health centers.
- Skilling of 12 women groups on Mentrual Health through making Reusable Menstrual Pads.
Skilling of 6 women groups in making Liquid soap and equipping them with other business management skills.
- Successfully trained and revitalized 8 Water Supply and Sanitation Boards (WSSBs) in 8 Sub counties on their roles and responsibilities for proper management and maintenance of water sources
Successive story.
In April 2021, Bedigen and Wumedkerwa women’s groups in Kalongo and Patongo Town Councils respectively were trained on WASH and existing policy frameworks, loan portfolio management, identifying business opportunities in WASH, WASH loan product development, Pricing loan products and Process mapping of loans.
These trainings were in bid to introduce the groups to the concept of WASH Financing since they had already formed Village Savings and Lending Associations (VSLAs) within their groups.
By the end of the trainings, participants could ably articulate the Principles of WASH, steps for WASH loan product development, principles that guide loan pricing and mapping out business opportunities along the WASH Value chains.
The two groups agreed to pilot a WASH loan starting with it members in order to improve the WASH status in their homes.
By October 2021, Seven (7) group members and Five (5) group members had acquired WASH loans from Bedigen and Wumedkerwa women’s groups and 3 new improved pit latrines had been constructed and 2 traditional Pit latrines had been constructed in 2 homes that initially did not have latrines at all using the loans that had been acquired from the VSLAs.
Conclusion.
Attitude and mindset change is a gradual process and during the three years of implementing the WASH SDG program, this has been realized among the community members in Agago district. Community members can now ably articulate WASH related issues among which include aspects of Gender Equity and Social inclusion. This has been realized through joint efforts of the government, development partners, religious leaders and cultural institutions on these communities
