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esulting in improved school sanitation in these districts; and Action Against Hunger (ACF), operating in Amuru,
Gulu, Lira and Kanungu, facilitated Village Health Teams (VHTs) and District staff to undertake a study tour to Busia
to learn about CLTS.
Various NGOs used a broader methodology of Home Improvement Campaigns (HICs), at times using competitions
and rewards to create excitement and motivation. Divine Waters Uganda (DWU) undertook a HIC in Lira, under
which clean homes with hygiene and sanitation facilities receive rewards; CARITAS Arua used a method of home to
home visits to conduct the HIC, as well as utilising radio talk shows to engender behaviour change in sanitation and
hygiene practices; Action Against Hunger (ACF) undertook HICs in 22 parishes of Amuru, Gulu, Lira and Kanungu
districts by facilitating local drama groups, distributing Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials,
using a Child-to-Child Communication strategy and supporting Extension workers on PHAST methodology –
resulting in household latrine coverage increasing from 44% (September 2008) to 58% (June 2009); Busoga Trust
(BT) conducted HICs in Jinja and Mpigi, resulting in increased sanitation coverage by 60%; and Netherlands
Development Organisation (SNV) conducted International Year of Sanitation competitions in model villages.
Other NGOs utilised efforts for community sensitisation and mobilisation by way of meetings and dialogue
processes. J.O.Y Drilling Programme conducted community dialogues on household hygiene and sanitation in Lira,
Amach and Ayer Sub counties, resulting in 44.6% increase in household hygiene and sanitation facilities and their
usage; while Christian Women and Youth Development Alliance (CWAY) conducted community mobilisation and
development of community action plans on household hygiene and sanitation practice at household level in
Sironko.
In an effort to address institutional constraints to sanitation access, Kaproron PHC Programme in Kapchorwa
sensitised 60 LC I chairpersons on hygiene promotion & sanitation, while Youth Environment Services (YES) in Busia
provided sanitation counselling to tenants and landlords, encouraging communities, individuals and tenants to
practice better hygiene and sanitation behaviour for improved health and income. In Kabarole, Tooro
Development Agency (TDA) distributed brochures in 97 primary schools bearing key messages to head teachers on
the importance of water availability for hygiene, latrine cleanliness and latrine construction in schools with
inadequate access to efforts to reduce school drop-out rates. TDA hopes to obtain funding which will enable it to
work with schools to improve access to sanitation and hygiene.
Several NGOs also conducted Sanitation Week activities for sanitation promotion: Agency for Cooperation and
Research in Development (ACORD) undertook sanitation week campaigns in Isingiro and Mbarara districts;
Community Welfare Services (COWESER) contributed finances and participated in sanitation week activities in
Nabigasa sub-country, Rakai district; Healthy Environment For All (HEFA) undertook sanitation week activities in
partnership with Nation Media Group and K-Fm radio station in order to improve hygiene and sanitation
conditions in the Kiruddu Health Centre in Makindye Division, Kampala.
3.5.3 Research and learning
The complexity of issues pertaining to the supply and demand of sanitation facilities necessitates ongoing research
and development. To this end, the International Water and Sanitation Centre (IRC) in collaboration with
Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) and Network for Water and Sanitation Uganda (NETWAS), has
embarked on the LeaPPS (Learning for Policy and Practice in Sanitation and Hygiene in rural households and
primary schools) Programme, which aims to support multi-stakeholder learning and sharing on household and
school sanitation within and between various levels of activity in order to influence change in policy and practice
towards sustainable impacts. Four series of district sessions in the four LeaPPS districts (Kyenjojo, Kamwenge, Arua
and Koboko) have been conducted to enhance politician and technocrat knowledge on sanitation approaches, and
two sub-county learning sessions (in Kyenjojo and Koboko) were undertaken to increase levels of interest in
sanitation and hygiene on local politicians and Parish Chiefs. Documentation and printed outputs of the projects
have been made publicly available. NETWAS, on behalf of the National Water and Sanitation Working Group also
conducted and facilitated a learning event for the 8 Technical Support Units (TSUs) and health inspectors in CLTS,
with a trip to Bulondo sub-county in Kamuli district to learn from the successful transformation in locals’ lives as a
result of the CLTS approach.
3.5.4 Appropriate technology
Experience has shown that unless latrines suit the needs, preferences and living conditions of users, they will not
be used sustainably, or, worse still, they will be abandoned in favour of unsafe methods of excreta disposal such as
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