Uganda
Background
- Approximately 1/3 of the population of Uganda do not have access to water
- Poor water and sanitation leads to huge mortality rates and risk of disease. Infant mortality rate is 130/1000
- 26,000 children under five die each year from diarrhoea
- 30.3% of populations in rural areas lack access to adequate sanitation and hygiene facilities
- Current population growth will triple water demand by 2035
SOS in Uganda
SOS Malta began working in Uganda in 2009, with the support of Malta's Official Development Assistance. SOS Malta focused its work on the Masaka District of Namagoma, Uganda, implementing a rainwater harvesting (RWH) project as an entry point to community development. The work was centrally focused around the primary school St. Kizito.
In 2010, following on from the 2009 success, SOS Malta continued to focus its overseas projects in Uganda. It focused on implementing rainwater harvesting projects in the Jinja District. The previous year SOS Malta had identified schools with which it would work in 2010. It identified SOS Malta focused its three schools, Njeru Primary School, St. Stephen's Primary School and St. Peter's Primary School. In total, over 800 children attend these schools. Work carried out by SOS Malta within these schools included:
- Each school was supplied with 5000 litre water tanks
- Two teachers' quarters were also supplied with 2000 litre water tanks
- A well with a capacity of approximately 30 to 40 thousand litres was dug to store the overcharge of the water tank installed at Njeru Primary School
- Redecorating was carried out at Njeru Primary School
Local workers were engaged to install the RWH systems, including the building of the concrete stands for the tanks and the guttering. A team of local labourers were also working on the redecorating of Njeru Primary School.
The work in Jinga was carried out with the support of Malta's Official Development Assistance (ODA) and Vascas Jewellers. Vascas Jewellers also supported the installation of a computer lab in St Bernadette's Primary School.
SOS Malta continued working in Jinga in 2011 implementing rainwater harvesting, renovation projects and educational and recreational activities in Primary Schools across the Jinja District. This was carried out with the support of Malta's Official Development Assistance (ODA), SOS Malta's Corporate Partners and Sponsors and a team of volunteers. The volunteer team was made up of representatives from Vascas Jewellers, Professional Marketing Services and Cleland and Souchet and nine other individual volunteers.
For more information about the work carried out in 2010, 2011 and 2012 please view the Uganda powerpoint.
If you would like to support our work in Uganda, please get involved in our Malta Walks for water campaign- http://www.maltawalksforwater.org/