Neighborhood Assembly Reaches Munkunyu Sub County

A Neighborhood Assembly has been launched in Munkunyu sub county- Kinyamaseke trading centre to involve all community member in participating in government projects in this sub county. This follows the training they received about the NAs in august 2013 by a group of women (CBO) called KITWA – Kinyamaseke Tuwathikanaye Women Group and signed a Memorandum of understanding with KALI to implement it.

The NA was launched by the Chair Person LCIII, 2 parish councilors and the CDO Munkunyu sub county who appreciated the platform that it would enable give feedback to the people. The LCIII chair person accepted that most of the community members no longer attend community meetings at the LCI level because they seem to be busy and also that the mode of mobilization was still low but commended KALI for its mobilization strategy of using drama which automatically mobilizes people because they enjoy their traditional sounds.

The issues raised in this NA were;

1.     That the sub county has 6 parishes with a total population of 12000 people but with only 2 government health centers of which the health centre III was integrated with the church and therefore with no free medication. The LCIII said that they were planning for a purely government aided health centre III.

2.     Inadequate water supply in the lower division which has only 2 tap stands to serve 100 households yet water is not frequent. However, it was realized that the water users do not pay the water user fee to maintain water flow. The LCIII gave a case that in the last month, out of 120000 shillings they are supposed to raise, the only handed over 16000 shillings. He also said that the negotiations with Amaizi marugi had been going on and that they accepted to contract the extension of the water to the town and that the survey was starting in January 2014.

3.     That the parental participation in the education sector is still very low as they do not attend school meetings, some do pack food for their children and also some do not contribute financially towards the school development. KALI together with the sub county leadership pledged to continue sensitizing the community on radio, community meetings and drama so that people can take up the culture of participating in children education.

4.     The CDO sensitized the people about some of the bye laws and the district Ordinance on education and emphasized on absenteeism, early marriages and lunch for the children. He said that the sub county was going to work with the schools directly to implement some of these bye laws and to trap parents who do not report or who are culprits of such issues.

New latrines & VSLA groups a result of CWASH

 Communities Construct new latrines a result of CWASH-Project.

Left is Jeff-KALI &LC.I C/man Kisaka II Village inspecting one of the new latrines

    KALI in partnership with SNV, UNICEF and Kasese district local government is implementing (CEP) in Bwera & Nyakiyumbu S/C. Emphasis is on S&H, O&M and promoting  YY/VSLA methodology among the water users at tap stand level on KGFS.

•      KALI works with 15 tap stand communities in Kisaka & Lyakirema parishes respectively. The scheme serves 692 H/H on 52 tap stands. KALI works with existing local gov’t structures to implement CWASH. I.e. the DHE, DHI, S/C leaders including Health Assistants, VHTs and C/Person LC. I of the different Villages, WSSB and the Water User Committees Target audience are water users in the 15 tap stand communities of project area.

The VSLA/YY Initiative

•      Currently 06 YY groups are functional

•      Members save a minimum of 500 -100,000=

•      Their interest rate is at 5%

•      Members save weekly & give those who want to acquire loans

•      The groups total savings 5,545,000=

•      Aim is to improve H/H income, S&H & O&M as well as WUF Collections at the scheme.

S/n	Name of tap	Savings
01	Mithimusanju tap	3,700,000=
02	Syayipuma  tap	300,000=
03	Nyamughona t/c tap	340,000=
04	Nyamughona RCC- tap	555,000=
05	Mutubya tap	450,000=
06	Kayibindulha tap	197,000=
07	TOTAL	5,542,000=

The CLTS approach

•      CLTS= Community Led Total Sanitation

•      Focus on igniting change in sanitation behavior  thru. Processes of social awakening

•      Targets community to end open defecation

•      Empowers community members to do sanitation monitoring in their area.

•      Ignites shame & disgust on open feaces

Achievements/ successes

•      Reduction in water related diseases especially, Cholera a result of community meetings on S&H

•      The intervention helped to increase WUF collections from 0 - 1,600,000= between Jan-July 2013

•      Promoted the scheme WSSB and stakeholders meetings every two months since January.

•       Triggered 07 Villages on CLTS and 33 new latrines constructed since march 2013

•      Trained 25 tap stand committees on O&M of taps

Trained the water board on the O&M

•      Mobilized & formed 06 YY groups, Mithi7 water user SACCO as the best with 3,700,000=

•      This SACCO attracts 60 members 30males & 30 females.

•      The SACCO formed health committee to promote S&H and Safe water chain at member h/h level.

Parish	Village	Category	New Latrines
Lyakirema	Lyakirema I	Triggered & Follow up	07
	Nyakasojo	Triggered &Follow up	01
Kisaka	Kisaki II	Triggered& Followed	18
	Mithimusanju	Triggered & follow up	04
	Nyamughona I	Triggered &Follow up	02
	Nyamughona II	Triggered &Follow up	01
TOTAL			33

Case story:

During the training, Grace Biira from Ndanda tap in Lyakirema parish assured participants that “since Karalike GFS scheme started 2years back, NO case of cholera is reported”. Before, this parish was one of the periodically affected with cholera in Nyakiyumbu sub county. Most people here go farming in the cotton belt which greatly has no latrines & water. Reaching home, they would still find no water!!! This is an achievement of KALI and SNV intervention on sanitation and hygiene alongside the trainings to the WUC on O&M.

 Challenges:

•      Out of 10 springs of KGFS, only 05 are functional. This affects constant flow of water

•      Failure of water users to pay monthly WUF of 1,000= affects O&M of the scheme.

•       Inadequate saving capital for all YY group members to access small loan for livelihood

•      Low skills in financial and record keeping to the YY/VSLA groups.

•       Low adaptability to new approaches e.g. hand washing facilities affect timely results.

Lessons learnt:

•      Saving culture among SACCO members  can be enhanced if  groups are properly mobilized

•      S&H project need time since it involves behavior change not measured in short period

•      The art of Team work at group level is very important in achieving collective results

•      Proper accountability and transparency is key in any group setting.  The case of Mithi7 YY group.

•      Constant follow up & partnership with existing structures is very paramount.

Compiled by;

Jeff-KALI 

bgeoffrey2011@gmail.com