Due to urbanization and rising population growth, Uganda faces the challenge of slums.
Most parts of the country in the central region and its suburbs are faced with the mushrooming of slums due to urbanization and rising population growth. One such area is Nansana municipality- one of the fastest growing settlements located in Wakiso district, near Kampala Capital City. Nansana is densely populated with residents facing general sanitation problems due to poor disposal of waste/sewage which originates from domestic, commercial and industrial sources.
Working closely with community leaders and Nansana residents, the AFROHUN students namely Butagaye Jidah (Bachelor of Community Psychology), Muhimpundu Flora Amani (Bachelor of Statistics) and Keije Phiona (Bachelor of Animal Production) observed that sewerage/waste water management was more challenging.
“During the Focus Group Discussion with the community, we noted that although poor solid waste management was a challenge, sewerage disposal/wastewater management was more challenging. We also observed that the waste water ends up in Bujagaali Swamp, carrying phosphates and nitrates that contaminate and degrade the swamp.”
The community is located in Nansana Parish, Nabweru Sub-county, Nansana Municipality, Wakiso district.
According to Jidah Butagaye, sewage was mostly from residential areas without soak pits and well drainage systems. This sewerage ended up being poured in the road or left to flow into other people’s compounds as well as the Bujagaali Swamp.
She said, “Solid waste such as polythene bags dumped in the drainage channels result into further environment degradations. The water logging in trenches greatly affects people. This smelling sewerage ends up into Bujagaali Swamp with a lot of garbage, hence contamination. We found it necessary to protect this swamp due to its relevance to the community. We then launched a project that we named ‘Save Bujagaali Swamp Nansana’.”
As a One Health challenge, it was noted that people dump garbage in non-gazetted areas including drainage channels, which eventually get blocked and prevent the smooth flow of water, hence causing stagnant or flooding water. This water becomes a breeding ground for mosquitos and flies that spread diseases to humans. When animals feed on this waste, they often get sick and are always treated with antibiotics. When humans feed on these animals, it may cause a problem of antimicrobial resistance due their frequent use in animals and sub-acute doses in humans.
As a means of intervention, the trio embarked on sensitizing and creating awareness about the importance of proper waste water management, urging people to put up sanitary facilities such as latrines and soak pits. They also focused on improving community participation and cooperation for efficiently implementing sewage facilities and acquaint the residents of this community with the values of environmental protection.
“Through sensitization, the community has been empowered with skills and knowledge, especially for the environment and production department that will keep carrying out these roles at the end of the project. This will lead to improved health of humans, animals and the environment,” Flora Amani said.
Ms. Winifred Kansiime, the team supervisor stressed the need for proper disposal of waste as a measure to protect the Bujagaali swamp. With community leaders, they visited and interacted with 40 households to come up with a collectively informed decision to identify the community problems. Working with community stakeholders, they were able to sensitize people on the dangers of poor waste management and sanitation, as well as establishment of sustainability programmes which would remain even when the AFROHUN students left the community.
“After these students have left this community, the environment health representative will help to encourage the community members to protect drainage channels. They should dig and have soak pits, such that waste water from households is contained there instead of ending up in the drainage channels, because the channels at the end of the day feed into Bujagaali Swamp.” Ms. Kansiime remarked.
The L.C.I Vice Chairperson, Mr. Lamec Mulambuzi, who welcomed the students during their community entry reported that the council had often tried to take steps to fight the problem of poor sewerage management, but the people didn’t seem to understand the dangers that may arise from the stagnant water. He vowed to carry on the community mobilization using megaphones to engage the people in community sanitation. He disclosed that they had appointed a new member on the local council to handle environment related issues, but lacked defined roles.
“Before the coming of the students’ team, there was a newly appointed member of the council in charge of the environment, but her role was not yet clear. So their coming helped us come up with a well-defined role for this position. The role of ensuring that households have soak pits will be directed to this person,” Mr. Mulambuzi explained.
Mr. Mulambuzi appreciated Makerere University and AFROHUN for sending students to serve in the communities. He said that when students come to the communities, they are empowered to put theory from school into practice.
Ms. Kansiime acknowledged and thanked Makerere University and AFROHUN for the One Heath students’ field attachment initiative. The field attachment was conducted from 26th July to 6th August 2021.