Ponsiano Begumisa

Ponsiano's story

Published in July 2026

Begumisa Ponsiano is a resident of Rusave village, Nyundo Parish in Nyundo sub-county, Kisoro District. He is married to Muhangi Agnes with four children.

At baseline, Ponciano used a latrine that was very old and risky to the extent that no one would feel comfortable while using it. It had more than one squat hole, was not well mudded, had a leaking roof, and without a shutter. It was so slippery after the rain because of the leaking roof, and it was life-threatening. The wife was always worried that, at some point, it would crumble with children or someone else. For the bath shelter, he had none and thought of none. His mind was settled and comfortable with the status quo. Change was far from him, as he confessed.

Ponsiano stands next to his old latrine

PHOTO: Ponsiano’s old latrine /AWS/2025

At the triggering that AWS organized at Rusave village, Ponsiano, halfway through the session, stood up and said he should be allowed to go home and begin on the change that was stirring him from the inside. He embarked on general cleanliness, constructed a model latrine, put a Sato pan and hand-washing facility, constructed a bathroom, and made his home a learning place for fellow community members.

A newly installed SATO pan in Ponsiano's latrine
Ponsiano using a tippy tap to wash his hands
Ponsiano's wife placing SODIS bottles on a rack

He received a rainwater harvesting tank from Africa Water Solutions to ease the problem of water scarcity that characterizes Rusave village and Nyundo sub-county.

Turyatemba Emmanuel

Emmanuel's story

Published in July 2026

At 42 years old, Turyatemba Emmanuel from Rusave Village, Nyundo Parish, Kisoro District, is living proof that lasting change begins with a change in mindset.

Not long ago, sanitation was never a priority in his home. Emmanuel believed building a proper pit latrine was a waste of money because he did not understand the link between sanitation and health.

I never knew poor sanitation affected our health, he says.
I thought it was pointless to spend money on a place that stores human waste.”

PHOTO: Emmanuel’s old latrine/AWS/2025

His family’s pit latrine was unsafe, they had no bathroom shelter or handwashing facility, and diarrhoea had become a regular occurrence. Although Village Health Teams had repeatedly encouraged him to improve his sanitation, nothing changed.

Everything changed when Africa Water Solutions (AWS) conducted a triggering session in his village.

“It was like a light came on. I realised I was putting my
family’s health at risk, and I decided things had to change,"

Emmanuel recalls.

A SATO pan in Emmanuel's latrine
Emmanuel's wife using a tippy tap

PHOTO: 1 A Sato pan installed in Emmanuel’s new latrine, PHOTO 2: Emmauel’s wife using a tippy tap

Together with his wife, Selina, and their five children, Emmanuel transformed their home. They built a safe pit latrine, constructed a bathroom shelter, installed a handwashing facility, and embraced good hygiene practices. Today, diarrhoeal diseases are no longer part of their lives, and their home has become a model for other families in the community.

“I have changed, am a new man and my family is new.
Triggering sowed in me a seed that transformed me forever.
I am an agent of change”

Emmauel's wife place SODIS bottles on a rack

PHOTO: Emmanuel’s wife placing SODIS bottles on a rack

Like many families in Rusave, Emmanuel also struggled to access safe water, often walking long distances through the hills to collect it. Through AWS’s water intervention, his family now enjoys improved access to safe and clean water, giving them more time, better health, and a renewed sense of dignity.

Today, Emmanuel’s story is a reminder that sustainable change starts with a single decision. By changing one man’s mindset, AWS helped transform an entire family, and inspired a community to believe that a healthier future is possible.