Access To Water And Sanitation Is Empowerment

Can you imagine not having a bathroom in your own home? No sink. No toilet. No privacy, safety or ability to properly clean yourself.

In Uganda, this reality is more common than you might imagine.

“Water and sanitation are essential for life and health, but they are also essential for dignity, empowerment and prosperity. Water and sanitation are human rights, fundamental to every child and adult. But in Uganda, poor sanitation and hygiene, as well as unequal access to safe drinking water, make thousands of children very sick and at risk of death.” – UNICEF Uganda

Children of Uganda recently came to the aid of one such family:

Gertrude is a single-mother in charge of a family of 8, including her daughter and Children of Uganda sponsored student Daphine Namugenyi. Gertrude and her family were recently chosen to particpate in our Family Accountabily & Sustainability (FASTrack) program.

During their basic needs and health assessment, our team discovered that their home had no toilet or latrine. As a result, Gertrude and her children were going to nearby bushes to ease themselves – posing a serious health and safety threat (especially for the women and girls)!

Thanks to the investment of Gertrude’s generous FASTrack partner, Jennifer Keller, we were able to intervene immediately.

Children of Uganda supported the family with 130 bricks, sand, 3 bags of cement, 3 sheets of iron, 6 pounds of nails, 4 poles and labor fees to construct a pit latrine on their property.

Gertrude could not contain her joy when the COU team delivered the construction materials to her home. Construction of the new latrine finished up in June and the family is now greatly benefiting from improved hygiene and safety.

Gertrude’s daughter, Daphine, is also receiving hygiene education at school.

Forced to drop-out of school at a tender age in P.3 (2nd grade), Gertrude greatly wished for her children to go further with their studies than she ever could. And thanks to Daphine’s co-sponsors, Susan Jaquet and Joanne Sherif, her daughter already has! Now in P.4 at St. Nicolas Mannya Primary Boarding School, Daphine is not only learning academics – but how to keep herself and others healthy.

Daphine and her friend demonstrate how to use a handwashing station at school
Handwashing stations are set-up around campus to promote proper hygiene and combat the spread of COVID-19
Daphine receives personal requirements from Children of Uganda including toilet paper and sanitary pads
Girls and boys picking up their personal requirements to promote health and hygiene
Daphine handwashing her clothes for cleanliness
Daphine is grateful to be at school
Daphine and her mother with a wash bucket
Daphine and her wash bucket
Daphine washing her hands at a different handwashing station
Daphine is so grateful to Children of Uganda and her sponsors for their continued support of her health and education

As you can see above, Daphine has access to handwashing stations across school grounds. She also received personal requirements from Children of Uganda such as sanitary pads and toilet paper to promote proper hygiene and improved health.

Water and sanitation are essential to empowerment.

Without these basic needs met, Gertrude would have little hope of sustaining an income-generating project of which she is being supported with under FASTrack.