Bringing Clean Water to Rural Women and Girls in Tororo
Date Published:
Overview
Access to clean and safe water remains a critical challenge in many rural parts of Uganda. In Tororo District alone, thousands of people still rely on unsafe water sources, contributing to preventable diseases and undermining the health, education, and economic opportunities of women and girls in particular.
This project by Development Alert aims to provide clean and safe water access to at least 1,000 people per village by repairing broken boreholes, protecting open wells, and forming community-led water-user committees. The initiative will be scaled to contribute toward addressing the national crisis, with over 14,000 villages across Uganda still lacking access to safe water.
The Challenge
Despite progress, more than 14,000 villages across Uganda still lack reliable access to clean and safe water. In Tororo, entire communities rely on contaminated sources, contributing to Uganda’s staggering health burden where:
• 75% of the disease burden is linked to preventable, water-related illnesses such as cholera, dysentery, diarrhea, typhoid, and eye and skin infections.
• Over 4,500 children die annually from diarrheal diseases caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation.
• Women and girls are disproportionately affected—walking long distances daily to collect water, often at the expense of education, rest, and economic participation.
Without urgent action, this cycle of poverty and poor health will persist, particularly for rural women and children.
The Solution
Development Alert is implementing a community-based clean water project across underserved villages in Tororo. Our approach includes:
• Drilling or repairing boreholes to provide reliable access to safe drinking water for at least 1,000 people per village.
• Protecting open wells to ensure cleaner, safer water for nearby communities.
• Forming and training Water-User Committees of 26 members per village to manage water sources, promote hygiene, and oversee community maintenance.
• Conducting hygiene and sanitation campaigns to raise awareness and reduce disease.
By bringing clean water closer to communities, we reduce the physical and social burden on women and girls, improve public health, and foster long-term development.
Expected Outcomes
• Permanent access to safe water for at least 1,000 people per village.
• Improved hygiene and sanitation, leading to reduced cases of waterborne diseases.
• Significant reduction in time spent by women and girls fetching water—leading to improved school attendance and economic participation.
• Sustainability through local ownership: trained water-user committees ensure ongoing maintenance and water source management.
• Increased awareness and behavior change related to WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) practices.
Long-Term Impact
This project creates lasting change by not only delivering infrastructure but by building community capacity and resilience. The long-term benefits include:
• Improved community health and well-being
• Enhanced school attendance, especially for girls
• Greater economic productivity through time saved
• Strengthened community systems for water governance
• Scalable model for national impact across other 14,000+ underserved villages
Conclusion
Development Alert is committed to ensuring that every person in Tororo—and eventually across Uganda—has access to clean and safe water. With the right support, we can eliminate water-related diseases, empower women and girls, and lay the foundation for a healthier, more equitable future.
Access to clean and safe water remains a critical challenge in many rural parts of Uganda. In Tororo District alone, thousands of people still rely on unsafe water sources, contributing to preventable diseases and undermining the health, education, and economic opportunities of women and girls in particular.
This project by Development Alert aims to provide clean and safe water access to at least 1,000 people per village by repairing broken boreholes, protecting open wells, and forming community-led water-user committees. The initiative will be scaled to contribute toward addressing the national crisis, with over 14,000 villages across Uganda still lacking access to safe water.
The Challenge
Despite progress, more than 14,000 villages across Uganda still lack reliable access to clean and safe water. In Tororo, entire communities rely on contaminated sources, contributing to Uganda’s staggering health burden where:
• 75% of the disease burden is linked to preventable, water-related illnesses such as cholera, dysentery, diarrhea, typhoid, and eye and skin infections.
• Over 4,500 children die annually from diarrheal diseases caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation.
• Women and girls are disproportionately affected—walking long distances daily to collect water, often at the expense of education, rest, and economic participation.
Without urgent action, this cycle of poverty and poor health will persist, particularly for rural women and children.
The Solution
Development Alert is implementing a community-based clean water project across underserved villages in Tororo. Our approach includes:
• Drilling or repairing boreholes to provide reliable access to safe drinking water for at least 1,000 people per village.
• Protecting open wells to ensure cleaner, safer water for nearby communities.
• Forming and training Water-User Committees of 26 members per village to manage water sources, promote hygiene, and oversee community maintenance.
• Conducting hygiene and sanitation campaigns to raise awareness and reduce disease.
By bringing clean water closer to communities, we reduce the physical and social burden on women and girls, improve public health, and foster long-term development.
Expected Outcomes
• Permanent access to safe water for at least 1,000 people per village.
• Improved hygiene and sanitation, leading to reduced cases of waterborne diseases.
• Significant reduction in time spent by women and girls fetching water—leading to improved school attendance and economic participation.
• Sustainability through local ownership: trained water-user committees ensure ongoing maintenance and water source management.
• Increased awareness and behavior change related to WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) practices.
Long-Term Impact
This project creates lasting change by not only delivering infrastructure but by building community capacity and resilience. The long-term benefits include:
• Improved community health and well-being
• Enhanced school attendance, especially for girls
• Greater economic productivity through time saved
• Strengthened community systems for water governance
• Scalable model for national impact across other 14,000+ underserved villages
Conclusion
Development Alert is committed to ensuring that every person in Tororo—and eventually across Uganda—has access to clean and safe water. With the right support, we can eliminate water-related diseases, empower women and girls, and lay the foundation for a healthier, more equitable future.
