By Vincent Gunde
Orant Charities Africa, an organization implementing Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) interventions in and around Kasese Health Centre in the area of Traditional Authority Chakhaza in Dowa district organized a learning visit for WASH stakeholders to appreciate the programs it is undertaking in the district.
The visit took the stakeholders to Kabuluzi Primary School where the organization has transitioned from borehole to piped water, Kadewa village where it has installed solar panel, Nambola primary school in Kawondo village for a latrine construction and Kuliyani villages for corbelled toilets (Mwamuna apumule).
Speaking after the visit, Orant Charities Africa’s WASH Programs Manager Mayamiko Mwenda, said the learning visit was organized for stakeholders to promote coordination and share all of what they are doing in the district so that together they can work with one common purpose.
Mwenda said after presenting the project to the District executive committee (Dec) the organization thought it wise to organize a learning visit to its programs as part of reporting to stakeholders to appreciate what OCA is implementing on the ground.
He said Kabuluzi primary school solar piped water project started in 2024 in partnership with the District Water Office, launching and training of Water Point Committees saying at Nambola primary school, latrine construction project was made in 2021.
The Manager said WASH stakeholders visited sanitation entrepreneurs who are building corbelled latrines (Mwamuna apumule) saying they are supporting communities in the construction of pit latrines and slabs which are important in improving sanitation in the communities.
He said at Kuliyani Water Point, stakeholders appreciated a well -managed maintenance water point and were able to learn the Service Level Agreement for maintenance of water points and Bank Pamjigo which is aimed at communities to have enough funds for maintenance of boreholes and supporting their livelihoods.
“Orant Charities Africa has sustained functionality of hand pumps at 96 percent through the works of Area Mechanics and Water Point Committees,” said Mwenda.
He said Orant Charities Africa registered some achievements by the learning visit saying stakeholders appreciated some of the organization’s initiative, advising them on the improvement on what is already being implemented and improvement for future projects.
On sustainability purposes, Mwenda said Kabuluzi village solar piped water system has made the communities to be contributing funds to buy spare parts to fix other issues that may arise in the future saying the organization will continue supporting them whenever need be but, they are managing the system on their own through the training given in collaboration with the District Water Office.
