Households in Kasese Rewarded for Keeping Proper Hygiene and Sanitation

Maliba and Kitswamba sub-counties in Kasese district located on the slopes of Mt. Rwenzori experience extreme poverty levels. This area is characterized by food insecurity, poorly constructed homes, limited access to basic services like medical care, education and clean water among others. 

RIDEAFRICA on 22^nd and 23^rd April 2014 organized household competitions for Maliba and Kitswamba sub-counties to determine the best homestead. This process was guided by an assessment tool that considered the number of people in a household, sanitation facilities like state of the main house, kitchen, latrine, refuse pit among others.

It was all joy and excitement as RIDE AFRICA staff came together with the Assistant Health Officers, Parish Chiefs, Community Development Officers, and Chairpersons LCIs of these areas as they visited every competing household.

After this rigorous exercise, the following were declared winners;

The three best households in Kyanya were;

1.      Mukirania Yonia

2.      Muthabinga Maliza

3.      Kighoma Muswa

These were each awarded a goat to improve their household incomes.

The three best households in Kitswamba were;

1.      Zawadi Mariam Zungu

2.      Tushabeomwe Evelyn

3.      Asiimwe Sharon

These were each awarded a piglet to improve their household incomes.

All the competing households were also given seeds for planting in their homes. The seeds included carrots, cabbages, water melon, beetroot, green pepper, egg plants and tomatoes. This aimed at improving the economic status of women, strengthening household food security and also enabling the provision of three meals a day to their children. Over 60 households participated and were drawn from DOLICA women, Bikoni youth and Tweterane Group.

There were however some crosscutting shortcomings that were identified across majority of the competing households which included lack of rubbish pits, absence of food stores, no kitchen gardens, unprotected water sources, all of which especially affect the general well-being of the children and women. In Kitswamba, there was particularly scarcity of water and children get just a single mean a day.