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Project brief
To improve quality of life of at least 2,000 households in Kaproron and the neighbouring areas through upgrading rain water harvesting facilities within homes and improving catchment management practices.
Project details
The people of Kapchorwa, a very remote and poor mountainous area in Eastern Uganda collect their water from numerous sources including rivers, shallow wells, protected and unprotected springs and makeshift rainwater harvesting collection. To collect water, women and children generally walk for up to three hours on rough paths, which are slippery when wet. People even collect the run-off water on the roads during rainy season.
In 2006, Kaproron Primary Health Care (KPHC) introduced new domestic roofwater harvesting technologies into the local area. With funding from East Africa Breweries over a two-year period, 120 ferro-cement tanks of 4,000 litres were constructed serving 120 families, and some of their neighbours with safe drinking water supply at their household.
A second project, entitled “Rainwater Harvesting Innovations for the Poor in Kapchorwa”, built on the first project and is supporting the construction of lower cost facilities, which were completely new to the region. These specifically target the elderly, poor and vulnerable. It is envisaged that about 300 facilities serving about 2,000 people, will be constructed in this phase. As part of the project, local masons have been trained in the construction of a number of facilities.
As the project has continued, it has become increasingly apparent that there is an enormous demand for rainwater harvesting technologies, but also that it is not only water collection, but also fetching firewood for cooking that is a major burden to women and children in the area. In fact, the depletion of forest cover is a major problem throughout Uganda, despite the fact fuel wood provides over 90% of the countries energy needs. High population densities, coupled with poor catchment management practices are also leading to soil erosion and land degradation. This has a major impact on the water quality in rivers and streams as well as the flow of water in natural springs and groundwater levels.
The new, five year project, entitled catching the rain from Mount Elgon will thus:
In 2006, Kaproron Primary Health Care (KPHC) introduced new domestic roofwater harvesting technologies into the local area. With funding from East Africa Breweries over a two-year period, 120 ferro-cement tanks of 4,000 litres were constructed serving 120 families, and some of their neighbours with safe drinking water supply at their household.
A second project, entitled “Rainwater Harvesting Innovations for the Poor in Kapchorwa”, built on the first project and is supporting the construction of lower cost facilities, which were completely new to the region. These specifically target the elderly, poor and vulnerable. It is envisaged that about 300 facilities serving about 2,000 people, will be constructed in this phase. As part of the project, local masons have been trained in the construction of a number of facilities.
As the project has continued, it has become increasingly apparent that there is an enormous demand for rainwater harvesting technologies, but also that it is not only water collection, but also fetching firewood for cooking that is a major burden to women and children in the area. In fact, the depletion of forest cover is a major problem throughout Uganda, despite the fact fuel wood provides over 90% of the countries energy needs. High population densities, coupled with poor catchment management practices are also leading to soil erosion and land degradation. This has a major impact on the water quality in rivers and streams as well as the flow of water in natural springs and groundwater levels.
The new, five year project, entitled catching the rain from Mount Elgon will thus:
- Introduce rainwater harvesting technologies, which are well-known in other parts of the country but have not yet been demonstrated in Kapchorwa;
- extend beyond the geographic area in which rainwater harvesting has been promoted to date; and
- Improve catchment management practices to, protect against drought vulnerability, reduce soil loss and increase tree cover.
Project map
Budget
The total budget for the five-year project is US$ 500,000.
Implementing Organisations
The project will be implemented by Kaproron Primary Health Care (KPHC), with technical assistance provided by Skat Foundation.
Results expected
An additional 2,000 households have access to improved rainwater harvesting facilities at their homes and/or have improved rainwater catchment on their farms. Improved catchment management practices at the micro-catchment level.
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