Community from Nyadri south in Maracha district decry acute water shortage grossly contributing to malnourished children below 5 years.

Story.

 by Joe maracani.

Community members from Nyadri South subcounty in maracha district have highly acknowledged that  poor water coverage, sanitation and hygiene can adversely contribute to stunted growth and malnutrition amongst children bellow 5years of age in their Community. 

Community members shared their  testimonies and personal experiences during public dialogue organised by Community based organisation, SAVE THE MARACHA GIRL in partnership with a national non-governmental organisation THE HUNGER PROJECT UGANDA.

The two partners are implementing program dubbed Right2Grow with core focus of enabling  children below 5 years reach their full potential of growth without cases of malnutrition

 The public dialogue amongst others attracted selected participants such as officials from district health department , subcounty leadership, village health team members, persons living with disability, opinion leaders and lcs. 

The participants observed as a major limiting factors scarcity of clean water sources,poor latrine coverage and difficulty in ensuring balanced family diet due poverty levels and low production in most households.

During the dialogue ,women who are directly affected by water scarcity in the subcounty  openly complained about overcrowding at few existing water points, difficult in accessing clean water sources as one has to walk over a kilometre or two in search for water, most villages lacking clean water sources as such many community members resort to nearby open and unsafe water sources for livelihood activities.

 Mr,Angurini benard lc1 chairperson of ambidro village confirmed that, "i strongly believe in getting malnourished with dirty water taking a case in point my village where the whole community members depend and  drink from an open shallowwell a times mixed with eggs tods without any other clean sources of water with the village, some of village mates trek kilometres to neighbouring villages in search for protected spring water."

Mr, Angurini benard lc1 chairperson of ambidro village stressing dire need for water during the dialogue. Photos by Joe Maracani, Information is Power.

Mrs,Candiru Alice, a housewife from kopira village, miridri parish said, "where I reside in kopira village we don't have clean water source,not even boreholes forcing us to walk long distances to neighbouring anguluko village for pipe water source.

However, candiru painfully explained that the only water pipe source in neighbouring anguluko village  gets  contaminated with drainage whenever it rains.

📸: A VHT member raising concern of acute water shortage during dialogue, Photo by Joe, Information is Power.

Mr,Madira Geoffrey, lc1 chairperson of anguluko village during the dialogue admits having case of malnourished children in his village which is attributed to unsafe water sources. 

"When you have a look at physical appearance of some children in my village, you will accept with me they are malnourished by the water they always drink,the pipe water been talked of comes out like milk during rain time but since there is no another alternative we just go by that because if you want clean water where will you get?"he explained.

 The lc1 chairperson further revealed water that this particular water source has continued to serve in totally seven villages though in it's condemnable state.

Mrs,Agnes oguaru, a breastfeeding mother from piago village decries lack of clean water in her own  village saying they helplessly depend on unsafe open water source which is  shared by two villages.

The public outcry over shortage of clean water sources was almost endless during the dialogue as speaker after speakers decried acute shortage of water in the entire subcounty. 

District health inspector, Aceni Albert who describes water as been life said can only applicable where there are access to quality and quantity of clean water for the community. 

Mr,Aceni stressed that ideal clean water should be colourless, free of contamination and by policy access to clean water facility should not exceed maximum 1.5km.

He called on residents to show interest and demand for clean water in their village to subcounty planing meetings. 

However, Albert implores the community to embrace water safety measures such as water boiling, chemical treatment with water guard and chlorine to prevent water related diseases. 

Mr,Odama Robert, the community development officer for Nyadri and Nyadri South subcounties concurs the observation of the community.

Odama noted as challenge that connection of tap water points by many household located at trading centres that are able to access gravity flow water from ovujo piped water scheme have put percentage of clean water coverage  of in three subcounties of  oluffe,  Nyadri and Nyadri south very high which he says plays  a disadvantage role when it comes to allocation of boreholes from district much as most  villages do not have clean water sources.

"Which means every tap connected at such  households whether on use or not is counted different as water source placing our water coverage very high,when discussions on water allocation are carried out at the district, the reflection is Nyadri and oluffe that benefit from gravity scheme have better coverage yet we last received water facility in 2018."

CDO who rallied the community members to properly maintain and own the few existing water equally decries low water coverage of the district due to budgetary constraints as he mentioned that of 691 villages only 272 villages have clean water facility allocated from district.

Mr, Oraku Jimmy abirionzia,the lc3 chairperson of Nyadri South admitted that water challenges in the subcounty is real stating that alio village remains the only village where residents can in square kilometre access water facility However, Jimmy expressed his unhappiness over poor attitude of some community members who do not want to contribute towards repair and maintenance of existing water facilities.

The dialogue amongst other action points resolved on reactivation of water user Committee at every village to oversee management of existing water points in the subcounty.

The office of community development was tasked to spearhead reactivation of water user committees and meetings at village levels.