Summary
Mughomba village was in dire need of a reliable water supply. Women and children were busy 2-4 hours each day to fetch water, which was contaminated at the source and caused many diseases. Together with AMA they planned and constructed a Water Gravity Flow Scheme. Soon after completion a landslides and floods disaster washed the entire water supply away. The villagers had to start all over again. AMA and the community joined hands, mobilised the subcounty government and community members and restored the water supply.
Tips and lessons learned
1. Planning to address a community problem, like water supply to eliminate diseases and fight poverty by creating income generation gives your strength because you are finding solutions to human challenges. Rightful minded people will respond and support you.
2. Always write down your issues and bring them to the attention of the actors and people with power.
Review by Wilde Ganzen Foundation
This is an inspiring story of how an NGO working in the Rwenzori Mountains National Park realises projects to improve the living standard of the communities in the park, in equal partnership with these communities. Read the 'Short description of the organisation the funds were raised for' to familiarise yourself with their method of community participation. You may find it very useful. It leads to communities that feel ownership and responsibility for the project. In this case resulting in the government contributing technical support and giving AMA - at the request of the community - the mandate to implement the water projects.
Details
Short description of the organisation the funds were raised for
Abanya Rwenzori Mountaineering Association (AMA) first engaged in development work with the Rwenzori Mountain communities of Kabarole, Ntoroko and Bundibugyo districts in 1992. AMA was formed to promote eco-tourism and agro-forestry on the Rwenzori Mountains. This was after it was upgraded from the status of a Forest Reserve to a National Park in 1991. It was named Rwenzori Mountains National Park (RMNP).
AMA has over 24 years in development related work, providing important services to the Rwenzori Mountain communities in western Uganda. The activities that have been implemented mainly are focused on the areas of eco-tourism, food security, HIV awareness, village savings & loan associations (VSLA), health and nutrition, gender based violence and WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) programmes.
AMA’s entry point to working with targeted selected communities is through working with households, using the approach of pictorial visioning. This is conducted at the very first stage of the project implementation. The approach is aimed at stimulating the targeted households to own the project and develop their own vision of their future living standards. It is also a process that unites households, families and group members, thinking as one and the process guides them to become more focused on becoming self-reliant.
This approach is included in Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA). Pictorial visioning helps the benefiting communities own the project and consider it as their own initiative, hence making a foundation for its sustainability. The plan is shared by the whole family and it shows the road map to their desired development destination.
AMA's work has already enlightened thousands of the community members of Kabarole, Ntoroko and Bundibugyo Districts.
The following are AMA Vision and Mission:
VISION:
The Rwenzori Region community places a premium on sustaining environment for both themselves and future generations and pursues sustainable development.
MISSION:
We improve the health of Rwenzori Mountains’ communities by conserving the biodiversity of the Rwenzori Mountains National Park (RMNP), protecting rivers and watersheds, and promoting cultural heritage and stewardship of our environment.
You can also check:
https://amarwenzori.blogspot.com/
Short description of the project or programme the funds were raised for
Distant and unreliable water sources were a big challenge for the community of Mughomba. This challenge had been solved. A gravity flow water supply scheme had been just completed and the community was testing the good time of their newly acquired, with the help of Kwataniza and Wilde Ganzen Foundation. Then floods and landslides washed the whole of it away. The situation returned to the worst, members of the community and their leaders wanted their water supply system reinstated as soon as possible.
Water was contaminated at the source by human and animal excreta as many pit latrines opened up by landslides into rivers. Environmental pollution was high because of lack of sanitation facilities and poor hygiene practices. Consequently, women and children were spending up to 2-4 hours per day fetching water that is inadequate in quantity to allow good hygiene to be practiced. Because of the long distance, physical injuries occurred by load carrying such as back injuries, hernia and miscarriages. Furthermore, the whole population and especially children suffered from ill health, water- and excreta-related diseases such as parasitic worms, fungus, diarrhoea, skin and eye diseases. They benefited much from the construction of the Water Gravity Flow Scheme again.
To improve this situation people planned it as a must to get clean and sufficient water from better quality source and well-developed and improved water supply systems closer to their homes, such that they can practice good hygiene, hand washing, home cleanliness, and get water for watering their kitchen gardens and other agriculture activities. However, the communities lacked on their own the capacity of bringing the desired changes required, without external assistance due to the high initial cost of installing water supply scheme. They were willing, though, to contribute and support the process needed to have the project completed. The community had to put pressure on their leaders to support the project both financially and socially.
Summary of fundraising action
1. It all started with an AMA planning meeting, drawing steps to be taken and people to approach.
2. Methods and tools to use for the fundraising campaigns were chosen: letter writing, follow up to the letters delivered to different individuals, meetings with local leaders and the targeted project beneficiaries, draft work plans and elect people to take up different tasks allocated to them in the meetings.
3. Review meetings are held to check on the activities, the achieved targets and the gaps and draft new roadmap approaching the supports.
4. Finding new opportunities to build case scenarios for supporters’ relationships to bring forward our need for support.
5. Have the community raise need for support themselves to their leaders and responsible actors.
Objectives
1. The project was planned to achieve the construction of Mughomba Water Project consisting of the following structures:
1. Transmission lines (at source and some damaged areas’ pipes replacement)
2. 10 m³ masonry main reservoir tank
3. 2 m³ reinforced concrete sedimentation tank
4. Source protection and intake works
5. 50 tap stands
6. Tools and equipment
2. To provide clean water to the the community to eliminate diseases especially among the children, like water- and excreta-related diseases such as parasitic worms, fungus, diarrhoea, skin and eye diseases.
3. To train communities to practice good hygiene, hand washing, home cleanliness, and get water for watering their kitchen gardens and other agricultural activities.
Targeted donors
1. Benefiting community and their local leaders: village, parish
2. AMA's Dutch Partner, Kwataniza
3. Bukonzo Sub County
Results
| Cost/benefit |
National currency (UGX Sh |
Euro |
| Total amount raised |
19,820,000 |
4,940 |
| (-) Total amount invested |
0 |
0 |
| Net amount raised |
19,820,000 |
4,940 |
Accounting details
1. The benefiting community raised 2,800,000
2. Bukonzo Sub County contributed 17,020,000
Result comments
1. The community was able to realise their strength to influence their leaders decisions.
2. The power of planning as community members with their own leadership. The community asked themselves 'Who should do this?' They challenged the local government and demanded to give AMA the mandate to implement the extension of the water in four other villages.
Description of preparatory work
1. Start with an AMA planning meeting, drawing steps to be taken and people to approach.
2. Methods and tools to use for the fundraising campaigns: letter writing, follow up to the letters delivered to different individuals, meetings with local leaders and the targeted project beneficiaries, draft work plans and elect people to take up different tasks allocated to them in the meetings.
3. Review meetings are held to check on the activities, achieved targets and the gaps and draft new roadmap approaching the supports.
4. Finding new opportunities to build case scenarios for supporters’ relationships to bring forward our need for support.
5. Have the community itself raise the need for support with their leaders and responsible actors.
Description of implementation
AMA coordinates with community members to be in the forefront implementing the actions step by step.
Follow up: Donor appreciation and acknowledgement
Give reports to the supporters and the community involved in the project.
Plans to repeat the action
Yes, now we are planning to extend the water project to the next two villages and a food security project.
