Surveys...and a Change of Plans

In terms of what we've done, we conducted a survey of 46 households in the Kasaali cluster and 29 households in the Kyotera cluster on 16 and 23 July with the generous help of some community members who helped in the interviewing.  The surveys revealed significant differences in levels of households’ access to their main sources of water.  While none of the households in Kasaali surveyed were more than 2 km away from their water source, with most of them less than 1 km away, it was found that seven of the 29 households in Kyotera were upwards of 3 km away from their nearest water source, with one household surveyed 10 km from their water source and another household indicating that they buy their water.  It was explained by a UWESO staff member that rainwater harvesting tanks were constructed in Kasaali under a joint program with UN-HABITAT, but Kyotera missed out due to lack of funding.  A survey of roughly 15 households in each of UWESO’s clusters completed for the UWESO Head Office in December 2007 had also revealed a great need in Kyotera for better access to water.

In light of this, I have decided to postpone bringing the project to Kyotera in favor of exploring the possibility of starting a small rainwater harvesting program which would work on a payback system as well for sustainability purposes.  More surveys will be conducted as part of my work with UWESO in another cluster called Kyakonda.  In the event that I am able to get more funding and the community thinks that it will benefit them, I may try to bring the pigs project to them as well. 

This week will be dedicated to finalizing the model and the plan for implementing it in Kasaali.  I will be going to the field tomorrow, so I should be able to sit with Kasaali and see if the current model will work or, if not, what changes can be made so that it can work.  There will also be some technical issues to address, such as who will be designated as caretakers, and it has been suggested that a committee within the cluster would be helpful in coordinating the implementation, so perhaps documenting who has been selected for that as well.  Anyways, I will be more consistent about updating from here on out...hopefully.