Boniconcilla Nyiramugisha, a resident of Gisasa Village, Kagezi Parish, Kanaba Sub – county, is a proud mother and wife to Dusabe David. Blessed with ten children, six of whom are married, Boniconcilla lives with her remaining four children. Her journey to improved sanitation and hygiene began with a simple but powerful intervention by Africa Water Solutions.
At the baseline assessment, Boniconcilla’s household sanitation situation was dire. She had a pit latrine, but its condition was alarming; the roof was leaking, there was no shutter or squat hole cover, no handwashing facility and the structure was poorly maintained and disorganized. Additionally, the household lacked a bath shelter and a plate rack, yet they had grown comfortable living in these conditions. She candidly shared with AWS staff that she saw no reason to improve the latrine since, in her view, its sole purpose was to contain fecal matter.
However, during the triggering session facilitated by AWS, Boniconcilla attended and openly acknowledged that sanitation at her home was detrimental. In a courageous moment before the community, she pledged to transform her household’s sanitation standards and requested AWS staff to monitor her progress after three weeks.
True to her word, within just three weeks, AWS staff returned to find a remarkable transformation. Boniconcilla’s latrine was shining, clean, well-maintained, and hygienic. She joyfully reflected on the change, saying, “Had it not been for AWS, the darkness of poor sanitation would still be covering my home.” Her commitment to maintaining these improvements was evident, and she pledged never to relapse.
Considering her situation, AWS supported her with a 6,000-litre water tank, on which the family contributed in-kind during the construction. The family members no longer have to walk more than 4 kilometres every day in search of water.’
What a significant improvement in her daily life!