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PROJECT CONCEPT
Host Club: Rotary Club of Kampala 7 Hills
Project Title: Improvement of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Wangkawa Primary School
Rotary Areas of Focus:
a) Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
b) Basic Education and Literacy
Project Location: Olokokwome Cell, Amor west Parish, Pakwach Town Council, Jonam County, Pakwach District, Uganda
Introduction:
Wangkawa Primary School is a rural government supported, faith based public school located in Olokokwome Cell, Amor west Parish, Pakwach Town Council, Jonam County, Pakwach District, in northern Uganda approximately 267 kilometers by road from the capital, Kampala. The school was opened in 1972, and currently has an enrolment of 1,886 pupils; 1,010 girls and 876 boys, making it one of the biggest schools in the district. It has 23 teachers on Government payroll, of which 8 are female and 15 males, with the school's foundation and parents' body overseeing the plans of the school. The school is exclusively day however, in 3rd term every year, candidates stay at school with four class rooms temporarily turned into dormitories, and during this time, the candidates struggle to utilize the night time to study as the school has solar only connected to the office building and not the classrooms used for classes nor those for dormitories. The school sits on four (5) acres of land that was donated by the Church (Catholic). Pakwach District being largely a rural district, most of the school parents are subsistence farmers. The district is also prone to unfavorable climatic conditions including long drought spells and hailstorms that negatively impact on farming. In 1995, the Government of Uganda constructed 2 permanent classroom blocks at the school. However, the structures are not enough considering the population, more so in poor state without windows, doors and dusty floor.
A team of 12 Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Kampala 7 Hills conducted a Community Assessment in Wangkawa Primary School and its catchment areas on 04th October 2024. The team held meetings with key stakeholders including; the foundation body, parents, pupils, teaching and non-teaching staff including the Headteacher, the Senior Woman Teacher, the Lay Reader (Leader of Church community), the Pakwach District Inspector of Schools and District Water Officer (Sanitation). Following the meeting the team inspected facilities at the school to ascertain their state and adequacy.
Community Needs and Challenges:
The team identified the following needs and challenges: -
• Less than 70 percent of pupils who start school at Wangkawa Primary School actually finish their primary level education.
• The school had one inadequate and poor state latrine, which is used by both girls and boys plus the teachers, it lacked girl-friendly conveniences for menstrual hygiene management, which mostly results into high absenteeism by girls due to lack of sanitary items like pads.
• The school did not have disabled-friendly latrines and classroom structures despite having children with disabilities.
• The school water harvesting system needed serious repairs.
• The cemented floor in 10 out of the 10 classrooms were worn out, and learners are tormented by both dust and jiggers.
• The school had insufficient and inadequate furniture. A desk that should accommodate 3 learners is being shared by up to 5 pupils.
• Insufficient and inadequate classrooms that force some classes to be attended under the tree which becomes problematic during the rainy season.
Project Objectives:
• Improve access to better sanitation facilities, safe and clean water for pupils, teachers and the community.
• Improve school attendance and retention among learners and children with disabilities.
• Improve learning environment that will boast academic performance for the pupils.
• Improve sanitation and hygiene knowledge of teachers, pupils and the community.
Project Beneficiaries:
The project will directly benefit 1,886 pupils (1,010 girls and 876 boys), 23 teachers and 2 non-teaching staff of Wangkawa Primary School, church congregation of about 300 worshipers and staff. In additional, the project will indirectly benefit over 5,000 parents and community members since the pupils will act as agents of change in their homes and communities.
How the Project will address the Identified Needs:
Three new segregated VIP pit latrines for Wangkawa Primary School (one each for boys and girls), and one for teachers will be constructed. The boys' latrine will have six (6) stances (one dedicated to disabled children) and a urinal, while the girls' wing will have eight (8) stances (one for children with disabilities), a separate room for hygiene and menstrual management and waste-covered bins for disposal of sanitary pads. The stances for disabled children will be fitted with disability-friendly accessories. Handwashing stations will also be provided close to each latrine to promote hand-washing practices.
The school will also receive one 10,000lt. plastic water tank complete with rainwater harvesting accessories to improve availability of and access to safe and clean water for pupils, staff and the community. Additionally, hygiene and sanitation education including training in making of reusable sanitary pads - to empower adolescent girls and community women with knowledge and skills to manage their menstrual hygiene in a respectable and sustainable way (menstruation with dignity) - will be part of the wider context of health education in the school and the catchment community. Also, the worn-out floors in the 10 classrooms will be repaired; and 100 new wooden desks will be provided to supplement the existing stock. More so, fixing windows and doors to all classrooms so as to protect them from the torture during especially the rainy season.
The proposed project will be implemented in partnership with the parents who will contribute some local building materials such as sand, aggregates and labour while Rotary will procure the other project components including the water storage tank and hand washing facilities, wooden desks, bricks, cement, solar panels, fittings and masonry and other technical expertise. Furthermore, the project will be executed in close collaboration with local Government technical departments to enhance sustainability, and these will include the District Education Officer, the District Water Officer, the District Inspector of Schools and the District Health Officer who will continuously provide the necessary technical input, oversight and follow-ups, as well as participate in the proposed project trainings. The church will mobilize worshippers to participate in the project, and offer project monitoring.
Proposed Activities:
• Construction of 3 new VIP pit latrines with associated sanitation amenities.
• Installation of one 10,000lt. plastic water tank complete with rainwater harvesting fittings
• Installation of solar panels on 4 classrooms
• Repair of floors in 10 classrooms.
• Procurement of 100 new wooden desks.
• Training to improve hygiene and sanitation knowledge of teachers, pupils and the community.
Budget Estimates:
No. Item description Cost
1. One new boys' latrine complete with associated sanitary amenities US$ 7,800
2. One new girls' latrine complete with associated sanitary amenities US$ 8,500
3. Installation of one water tank and rainwater harvesting systems US$ 3,200
4. Repair of floors for 10 classrooms US$ 9,500
5. Procurement of 100 desks US$ 3,000
6. Hygiene and sanitation training including making of sanitary pads US$ 3,200
7. Installation of solar system US$ 2,500
8. Classroom doors and windows US$ 5,500
9. Monitoring and Evaluation US$ 5,000
10. Rotary signage US$ 500
11. Contingency US$ 5,000
Total US$ 53,700
Funding (Host club & D9213 contributions):
1. Cash contribution from Rotary Club of Kampala 7 Hills US$ 5,000
2. DDF from D9213 US$ 3,000
TOTAL US$ 8,000
Contact Information:
a. CPA Rollings Nyesigomwe Email: rmatsiko89@gmail.com Tel. +256 775757640
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