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5.3 Water-stressed areas: A feasible and cost effective plan for rehabilitation and maintenance of dams and valley tanks is prepared, approved and integrated into the budget lines ready for detailed design an implementation during 2009/10, in at least 50% of water stressed districts. The climatic events of the past two years (such as the increased incidence of drought and flooding) have demonstrated the increasing difficulty of assigning the problem of water-stress only to specific parts of Uganda; further, they have shown that limiting interventions designed to address water stress to specific technological options may be counter-productive, and may serve to frustrate efforts to adapt to increasing water stress in various parts of Uganda. The case study provided below serves to demonstrate some of the challenges faced by communities living under water-stressed conditions. 5.3.i CASE STUDY: Literacy Action and Development Agency (LADA) operations in water-stressed areas LADA’s Water and sanitation programme aims to improve access to clean and safe water for the water stressed areas of Kyikarara and Kakoni parishes in Bwambara sub-county and Nyarwimuka parish in Ruhinda sub-county in Rukungiri District. These areas are at the fore front of climate change, and their occupants share water sources with wild animals. Project beneficiaries are vulnerable households susceptible to natural resource conflicts with wildlife, benefiting from rainwater harvesting to the tune of 500,000 litres per full capacity of the water tanks and accumulative total of 1,000,000 litres per year harvested from 100 rainwater tanks of 5,000-liter capacity. 15 springs are also to be protected for improved access to clean and safe water, with over 15,000 people reached with improved access to clean and safe water. Most water sources are located within the Protected Areas (PAs) of Kigezi game Reserve and Imaramagambo Forest, which neighbour the project area. This has generally put the life of the vulnerable women and children at risk while collecting water from sources shared with wild animals. Testimonies show that it takes one person 4 hours to collect one jerrycan of dirty water from the drying pond in the national park. This situation has worsened due to changing seasons that have dried up the would-be water sources for the human community. Thus there is a need to promote viable technologies to ensure access to clean and safe water for these communities at the frontline of climate change as a means of resilience and adaptation. LADA has also been working to implement successful gender mainstreaming in the provision of water and sanitation facilities in its WASH programs, as well as ensuring that the community is mobilised around the project to create a sense of ownership. Beneficiaries contribute locally-available materials and LADA provides other (factory-made) materials; this has proved to be a best practice in instigating sustainability of the project. Lessons Learnt: - LADA has come to realise that water still plays a middleman’s role in social development of any society. - Water collection is done predominantly by women and children, spending 4 hours per day on this task. - Rainwater harvesting is a better option for the Rift valley region (Albertine rift valley) where there are limited protectable water sources and limited chances for gravity flow schemes. - Human beings share water sources with wild animals and when animals get to water sources first, then human beings are excluded; the reverse is true in Bwambara sub-county. 5.4 Water resources management: A framework for catchment-based WRM is finalised, with cost estimates prepared and relevant stakeholder agreements signed ready for full scale implementation in at least 2 of the 4 management zones. Although the framework detailed above is necessary, some NGOs point to the need to examine IWRM issues affecting smaller water catchment and sub-catchment levels, such as district, river basin and community levels. A gap within the above-mentioned framework is the provision for lower-level IWRM interventions, which allow a greater focus on issues such as the trans-boundary aspects of IWRM, e.g. between communities and districts, in a way that enhances cooperation and reduces conflict. A case study which highlights such practice by NGOs is detailed below. 44
5.4.i CASE STUDY: Ecological Christian Organisation (ECO): Promoting Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) among Small Mining Communities in Budhubye, Iganga District. Brick making is a livelihood source for the youth, especially among the rural poor, causing water source pollution and affecting communities’ access to clean and safe water. Brick makers need to be sensitised and trained in using Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in order to enhance water conservation and efficient water utilisation. ECO promoted IWRM among small mining communities, specifically brick makers to improve community-level WRM. Major Findings: - Brick making puts pressure on water resources by using and extracting exorbitant amounts of water - Brick making if not properly implemented affects water quality and creates water pollution - The youth involved in brick making are sometimes not sensitive to water resources management - There is competition for water sources between brick makers and other users, accompanied by lack of mutual consideration - Clay pits are used by mosquitoes to lay eggs thereby increasing the risk of malaria in the community - Poor hygiene and sanitation conditions among the mining communities need improving as they lack access to sanitation facilities such as latrines, bathrooms etc. - There is need for livelihood diversification of miners to reduce their dependence on mining for income. - Exhausted extraction pits need refilling since they produce methane contributing to global warming Challenges - Inadequate financial and human resources in implementing this project - Providing an alternative livelihood to brick makers remains a big challenge - Conflict management between brick makers and other water users is very difficult - Domestic animals such as cattle, goats and pets fall into pits left behind by brick makers, leading to conflict - There is limited meaningful participation of women in mining as an activity, including brick making industry - There is very limited awareness of IWRM among the mining communities Report by Isaac Kabongo, Executive Director 5.5 Functionality of rural water sources: A revitalised Community Based Maintenance System leading to an improved functionality rate of water points in 50% of the districts by at least 3 percentage points by improving the management at community level and at the district level. As noted in Sections 3.3, 3.10 and 3.11, NGOs have contributed to functionality of rural water sources by enhancing community ownership of water sources, improving governance and accountability of water authorities, enhancing the skills base and providing training for improved O&M. NGOs continued their efforts to create and support functional WUCs; and enhanced the role of women in water source functionality, not only by addressing gender imbalances but also by providing women with important management, entrepreneurial and professional 45 Exhausted clay pits can be used for fish farming in order to diversify livelihoods of small miners in Budhubye Village, Iganga District. Photograph: Isaac Kabongo, ECO
Page 1 and 2: NGO Group Performance in the Uganda
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Page 9 and 10: 1. Introduction 1.1 Background The
Page 11 and 12: Its mission is to strengthen Uganda
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Page 33 and 34: 3.9.2.i CASE STUDY: Lutheran World
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Page 51 and 52: Christian Engineers in Development
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