Village: Kitanyata 2
Parish: Kyakamese
Sub-County: Pakanyi
Population: 630
Status: completed
Donors: Deerfield Foundation
District: Masindi

The village of Kitanyata 2 is situated 25 kilometers northeast of Masindi town and is on the same road as our supported communities of Kitanyata 1, Kitengule, and Nyakarongo. Despite such proximity, it lacks access to clean water. Its current water source is a muddy spring, wedged between rock formations at the bottom of a valley. Common ailments reported included diarrhea and malaria which are both killers, but more significantly are both debilitators and disrupt productivity.

Unlike other communities, K-1and K-2 are lucky enough that the nearest health centre is only 1km away. They provide curative not preventative medicine, and can be expensive. Busoga Trust aims to provide preventative medicine through our provision of clean water, basic sanitation, and hygiene education. Busoga Trust strives to develop water source sites near neighboring villages in order to form “clusters” of clean water ensuring that geographical zones, and not just isolated communities, have access to clean water. The aim is that as work progresses over time, these zones will eventually interconnect. With this policy in mind, we have chosen Kitanyata 2, which borders Kitanyata 1, where we already have a constructed source in place.

Our sample questioning of Kitanyata 2 villagers revealed that only 1 out of 63 households make the long trek to collect water from the source we constructed at Kitanyata 1. This work illustrated the need for an additional water source for Kitanyata 2. Given that K-2 is geographically dispersed over a very wide area, any journey to collect water (usually undertaken by children) involves a substantial walk.

While we are able to complete a water source on our first attempt in most villages, K-2’s proved to be a more challenging undertaking. Technical difficulties included collapsing soil while digging at two well sites, and then an unacceptable water recharge rate with a third attempted well. Busoga Trust field personnel finally decided to build a protected spring at the site of K-2’s existing water source. Throughout the month long effort skeptical villagers who had their own solutions in mind were won over through the perseverance, expertise and ingenuity of the Busoga Trust field team. What could have been a failure instead resulted in a successful new clear water source and helped build upon BTA’s growing credibility with local authorities.

View the Kitanyata II Photo Gallery