Tuesday, September 17, 2013

When a Borehole Can Change a Community

                                                                                                                                                   6/9/2013
               Having a safe, clean, reliable water source in a refugee settlement camp is the difference between being sick on a deathbed and being healthy with no threatening illness. When thousands of refugees flock to Kyangwali, the greatest immediate issue is where to find a safe usable water source for all of their needs. A quick solution to the problem is often a water tank which can be filled up regularly by the AAH and UNHCR staff. However, this can become an inconvenient and unreliable water source if there are too many tanks around and these organizations cannot keep up with the demand on refilling the water tanks. The long term and more reliable solution is to dig deep down into the earth and install a borehole for the whole community to use.
Standard borehole under lock and key

               Boreholes are great solutions for communities to get a supply of fresh, unspoiled, ground water to use for their daily needs. Here in Block three of Kyeibitaka village in Kyangwali, the borehole established back in December of 2012 has changed the lives of the entire community which it supports. Around fifty to sixty homes in this community are supported by this borehole for their water needs. Refugees come by foot and on bikes every morning and night to try to get the necessary amount of clean water they need to last them for the day. 

Before December 2012 when this borehole did not exist, refugees in this area had to trek to get their supply of water down from the swamp, which is located just below where this borehole is established now. Not only was this a dangerous and daunting trip one had to make every day but swamp water, which is still water, is contaminated and festering with different diseases and parasites. During the hot African dry seasons, any water source available to children looks like a veritable playground where they could play and cool off for a moment. However, what lurks in those swampy waters are some of the most threatening diseases and parasites known to man here in Africa. Before the borehole, it was not an uncommon site to find children contracting and infected with Cholera, Schistosomiasis, and Malaria (from mosquitos by the water). Since then, the children and the community who use this borehole now see a change in their health and happiness.

"Donated by UNHCR, Implemented by AAH- I"
Now they can use the water from the borehole for everything, and sanitation and hygiene have improved significantly since AAH constructed this borehole. There have been countless cases where children’s lives have been saved because of this borehole. Since the cleanliness has improved in the community, the community itself has improved as well. Both farming and sanitary practices have improved greatly, causing the community to thrive and grow into one of the most successful and exemplary communities in Kyangwali. AAH continuously tries to encourage this self-sustainability in the communities so that one day they may be able to take responsibility of their own water tanks and boreholes. Maybe the example set by this community can motivate other communities to join hands and keep maintenance on their water source as a priority, and give themselves a chance to flourish as well.

The borehole is a prized possession for the community here in block three of Kyeibitaka village. Nagish Vaney the Chairperson of this community along with his nine other community members, take on the responsibility and the management of this water source. It is an important task to keep this borehole clean and well-maintained if they wish to continue using it for all of their needs. It is also the responsibility of the entire community who use this water source to also take care and respect it. Each family that uses this borehole must contribute a small fee of one thousand Ugandan Shillings every three months in order to be allowed access to it. Each month the committee holds meetings to make all water users accountable for their fees. It is a small price to pay for the comfort of knowing that your water is safe and usable, and all fees go to the maintenance of this borehole. Already this community had to come together to buy, with the maintenance fund, and replace the pipes of the borehole due to rust and wrong material.
(in yellow) Mahoro Vivagisa - Care Taker of the Borehole, 
(in orange) Liuagisa Annusite- Treasurer of the Borehole
(in white)  Nagish Vaney - Chairman of the community


Just as in any good organization, here they also have rules to live by when using this borehole. The borehole is locked up and only open from early morning until 9 a.m. and then from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. This prevents people from coming at odd hours and collecting water and/or breaking the borehole. Everyone has obeyed these rules because they know the borehole's importance to this community and to life in general in the refugee settlement camp.


No comments:

Post a Comment