Lugala Village is a rural community in Kayunga District, Uganda. It’s about 8km away from the main road and remote with approximately 150 households. Just like the majority of rural communities, access to services, especially access to safe and clean water, is very challenging. There is no piped water or protected springs . The population depends on traditional water sources in the form of surface ponds and streams.
In Lugala Village, children and women have to walk 3km to a surface pond located in a swamp far from most homes. The pathway to this water point is long and thick with brush which is frightening for the children. It takes them at least 2 hours for a single round trip. They need to make at least 2 trips per day!
The water in the pond is dirty and contaminated. People have encroached on the swamp and started growing rice. This makes the contamination of the surface water point worse.
(shown) Filling up the containers at the water source is dangerous as there incidences when children slide and fall into the water.
(shown) The long road to the water source. Takes 2 hours for a single return trip. Usually, they need to make 2 trips per day.
(shown) Some children collecting water at the current water source. Its long distance, through a thick frightening pathway.