With the need for increased access to safe water in Northern Uganda, co2balance has just completed the assessment of 50 non-functional boreholes under their ‘Lango Safe Water Project’. Over 45% of Uganda’s rural population are still relying on unsafe water sources such as lakes, rivers, ponds, open wells, swamps and it’s against this background that… Read the full article >
Household Surveys in the District of Kaliro, Uganda
Surveys are conducted to uncover answers to specific, important questions that are varied, cover a diverse range of topics, and can be asked in multiple formats. Surveys also help to know the impact of a project and serves the purpose of informing decision makers what impact the project has had on the target community. Accordingly,… Read the full article >
Their Stories…………….
“My name is Omara George aged 49 and I live in Dokolo District. I am a user of the Aminoleke borehole that was rehabilitated by co2balance in 2013. Before the borehole was fixed, my family used to walk long distances in search of water and would collect it from the swamps because the only alternative… Read the full article >
Routine Borehole Checks
The effective operation of boreholes is very much dependent on the communities that own the boreholes as they are seen as the very first custodians of these facilities. Co2balance contracts a project partner/officer to be an engagement representative within the community. Each month our project representative is required to conduct basic checks on each borehole… Read the full article >
Renovation of Aprons in the Lango Sub-region
An apron slab is a smooth impermeable surface constructed around a borehole (hand pump) to prevent spilt water soaking into the ground. Its purpose is to prevent pollution of the groundwater supply and prevent the development of puddles or muddy conditions that are unpleasant, can attract mosquitoes, flies and animals around the borehole which could… Read the full article >
May Field Visit……..
Last month Lucas and I had the chance to visit our project areas in the districts of Kole, Alebtong, Dokolo, Otuke and Kaliro. While there we carried out many activities that ranged from conducting a local stakeholder consultation meeting for a new borehole rehabilitation project, a visit to the Ministry of Water district office –… Read the full article >
Planned Annual Maintenance Programme
C02balance has a proactive approach to maintenance of its borehole projects in which maintenance work is done on an annual basis. This is usually followed by reactive repairs during the year to ensure that the boreholes are in constant use for the 7 years of the project. It also ensures that the communities have a… Read the full article >
Women and Climate Change
As we celebrate the International Women’s Day, it is worth remembering the role of women in mitigation and adaptation to climate change. For indigenous women — particularly in developing countries — threats to their environments constitute direct attacks on their physical, social, and economic health. They have a very close relationship with the cycles of… Read the full article >
Accessing wood fuel………
Despite certain shortcomings, boiling water is still the most common means of treating water in the home and the benchmark against which alternative household-based disinfection and filtration methods must be measured. Much as it is a dependable method, it has posed a threat to the environment as a lot of wood is cut to be used… Read the full article >
The Shea nut tree…………….
Traversing the northern districts of Uganda, one can’t help but notice a wide range of different tree species but the most noticeable is the shea nut tree that is endemic to that region. It is known for it’s numerous uses that range from butter, cosmetics, medicinal and locally in the northern part of Uganda, for… Read the full article >
Visit to the Lango Boreholes – Community Engagement in the Projects
Early this month, I had a pleasant visit to the boreholes in the surrounding districts of Lira which include Kole, Alebtong, Dokolo and Otuke in which co2balance rehabilitated 41 boreoholes in 2013 and since then has been doing annual maintenance and reactive repairs. It was great to see how the communities have embraced these projects and… Read the full article >
Rehabilitation of Kaliro Boreholes
Rehabilitation is the action taken to repair a borehole whose productivity has declined or that has failed completely through lack of monitoring and maintenance of the pump and/or well structure. Borehole rehabilitation usually involves so many aspects such as cleaning the capture section (pipes, pump), change of broken or rusted parts like the chain, pump… Read the full article >
Unprotected Springs – Continued Need for Safer Options
Until 2005, Betty Amuge and her family of four children had to trek 3 kilometers each day to an unprotected spring to get about 120 litres of water for drinking, cooking, washing and personal hygiene. There was a borehole in her village, Akaidebe, in Omoro Sub-county in Alebtong district, but it hardly functioned as no… Read the full article >
Chlorination and Reactive Repair
There are various ways of disinfecting wells but the most common is chlorination as it leaves a residual disinfectant in the water after chlorination. In a bid to provide clean water and eliminate the use of firewood to purify water, chlorination is one of the most effective ways of disinfecting water. Over a couple of… Read the full article >
Site Visit to Kaliro Project
Most rural areas in Uganda typically use wood fuel on inefficient three stone fires to purify their drinking, cleaning and washing water. This process results in the release of greenhouse gas emissions from the combustion of wood – this can be avoided if a technology that does not require wood fuel supplies clean water desired… Read the full article >