The AWS Program ensures that rural communities in our implementing areas have access to safe water and build their capacity to maintain safe water sources for even more years later. Like most areas in Uganda, access to safe water in the Alwi sub-county known as the dry corridor of the Pakwach district, was a big challenge forcing communities to use unsafe water sources such as local wells, ponds and streams. This prolonged the impact of waterborne diseases. Children and women continued to face the burden of walking for long hours to collect water.
In the past, whenever the people of Alwi gathered, they discussed how a lack of water not only brought them diseases but also put their lives at risk of being attacked on their way to collect water, in the long run, hindering their children’s education and dreams. The children continued to drop out of school to help fill the family water shortage.
She further explains that the mothers in this village feel that the dirty water had contributed to widespread waterborne illnesses such stomach aches caused by worms, diarrhea among others. But thanks to the borehole, these illnesses have been fought and the families have since experienced reduction in prevalence of waterborne diseases. They can now spare some time saved from the long walks to tidy up their homes, engage in small businesses and do some farming.
The borehole has brought a multitude of changes to the community, including the development of a water committee that has been trained to help with the maintenance of the water and sanitation resources. Mrs. Okaro explained that to ensure that the borehole remains functional and reliable; water users are required to pay a small monthly fee and an operating Water User Committee that is tasked with the functionality of the borehole was elected.