Project Location
The work camp shall take place in Galuwero Zone L.C1 Village, Luwero Town Council, Luwero District. The Project site is located 2km on Ngoma rd, from Luwero, 60km North of Kampala on Kampala - Gulu Road. Luwero District Is located in the central part of Uganda boarded by Wakiso District in the south, Nakasongola in the north, Nakaseke in the North-west
Project Background
Luweero Town Council has a fast growing Urban setting with a fast growing population. Like any development, the area will not escape the problem of formation of slums and its associated challenges of poor sanitation and hygiene. Inevitably, the high rural- urban immigration practices in all growing towns incur a high impact on the declining sanitation standards while on the other hands the associated problems also continues to grow at very high rate.
If this deteriorating sanitation and hygiene standards goes unchecked then the populations particularly children and women are exposed to high risks or become vulnerable to the possibilities of the outbreaks of deadly but would be preventable diseases like cholera, Malaria and dysentery.
Basajjansolo Memorial Training Centre (BMTC) is a project of Basajjansolo Community Development Association (BACODA), a community-based organisation founded and registered in 2003 under Ref NO. CD - 312 - 03 of Luwero District Community Development Department.
BACODA is committed to work for the plight of HIV/AIDS, other disadvantaged orphans and vulnerable children through offering them basic education, life skills and career training. BMTC today offers education to 240 children aged 6 – 14 years most of them orphans, half orphans, vulnerable children and those living with families earning less than 1 US dollar a day.
Like UPA, BACODA also targets to empower, train and instill a culture of self responsibility in the young generation. In 2012, UPA, BACODA and BMTC hosted an International volunteers Sanitation week with the purpose of promoting clean sanitation, family hygiene and proper garbage disposal and the action proved to be just a drop in the ocean.
Therefore, this project intends to intensify on the earlier started on efforts of improving sanitation of the Luweero community.
Besides sanitation, part of the project activities shall involve construction work on the classrooms at Basajjansolo Memorial training centre.
Project Objectives
- To reduce the prevalence of preventable diseases in the community of Luweero Town Council
- To reduce on costs towards medical expenses on preventable diseases hence reducing poverty in Luweero Community
- To work towards reducing poor sanitation in Luweero Town Council through allowing open debate and interaction using story telling and Forum theatre.
- To transform the local youth into promoters of new measures aimed at promoting sanitation.
- To use story telling as a tool to reflect on the local realities, to promote dialogue between youth, local communities and the local institutions on sanitation issues.
- To promote family sanitation through physical cleaning and to promote awareness for a clean environment in families
- To improve on the lives of people in Luweero Town Council through improving their hygiene.
- To instil a culture of proper and safe garbage management, separation and safe disposal practices
- To create awareness on safe and sustainable garbage disposal practices.
- To sensitize the rural community on dangers of poor sanitation
Activities
Sanitation
- Collecting garbage in markets, streets, schools and health centres
- Slashing compounds of Health centres
- Cleaning and de-silting water channel
- Conducting community sensitization through Storytelling, Forum Theatre, open discussion, quiz and debates
- Clearing bushes and stagnant water sources in the surrounding homes
- Conduct a one-day workshop and public dialogue on Community sanitation management and hygiene.
Construction
- Mixing sand and water
- Collecting and carrying mortar
- Plastering and laying concrete floors
Expected Outcome
- Streets, Health Centres and markets shall be cleaned
- Theatre and storytelling sessions on sanitation conducted
- A sanitation workshop conducted
- A public dialogue conducted on sanitation
- Construction of classrooms
Cultural and Educational visits
During the work camp period the participants will visit the following places: Luweero Community market and Home visits. Note: Participants may also visit the Ugand a Museum in Kampala and Wildlife Education Centre and Entebbe botanical gardens in Entebbe but at their own cost. A cultural night will be organised and participants will display items, songs and dances from their home countries and traditions.
Beneficiaries
- Primary: Residents of Luweero Town council and Buganda government, patients in health centres, pupils in schools.
- Secondary: work camp participants
Participation
The project expects 20 participants maximum with a composition of people from other regions of Uganda and people from the north of the world (that is Europe, Asia and America). The camp participants will be joined by other community people working for 6 hours daily from Monday to Friday. Weekends are for social interaction and/or excursions unless if the official camp programme has an activity.
Who qualify to participate
- Open minded, ready to interact with other people of different cultural background
- Willing to share his/her experiences
- Flexible to live/stay in simple life conditions
- Flexible to the taste of other foods (local)
- Ready to work in filthy or dirty environment
- No experience needed
The Host Community
The people found in central Uganda are multi tribal with the majority population being Baganda. And the major language spoken is Luganda with also a big percentage of people speaking English well. Like most regions in Uganda people in this community always welcome visitors and always interested to talk/work with people from other cultural backgrounds. Volunteers on this project will have the opportunity to interact with mostly BMTC pupils, BACODA and UPA members and those from the community.
Accommodation
- We shall provide simple classrooms for sleeping
- Participant will use their sleeping bags and mats
- The camp site has simple bathrooms with no showers
- The camp sites has latrines not toilets
- And a simple cooking shelter (kitchen)
Meals
- There are several local foods, matooke, cassava, sweet potatoes,
- Yams, pumpkin and also rice, spaghetti, ground nuts, beans, peas and different types green vegetables
- Fruits can also be easily bought from local markets, mangoes, sweet bananas, water melon, pineapples etc
- Participants will chose food to prepare depending on the availability
- Volunteers will prepare their own meals using charcoal and firewood.
Health Services
Kasana Health Centre is only 4 KM, while Kiwoko main Hospital is only 12km away. Where the sickness insists, the project site is located only one and half hours’ drive to the main Hospitals in Kampala, the Capital City of Uganda.
Water Source
The Project site has access to a bore hole located only is 250 - 300 meters away from the project. In case of emergency there is piped water if power is available in the vicinity and a 10,000 litre tank which harvests rain water.
Climate /Weather
The temperatures in September usually range between 16 and 29 C with some rains during the month. This region is very green all the year due to two seasons of rains in the year. It may turn out to be wet and chilly at times.
What to bring
Participants shall be required to bring own sleeping bag, Mat, pillow, Mosquito Net, sun/mosquito creams/repellents, working gloves and boots/shoes. Light working clothes during working hours and warm clothes at night, as it may turn out to be chilly or cold; Musical instrument {optional}; Torch or flash light; Water purifiers {optional}; Personal effects {i.e. soap, toothpaste, toiletries. Bringing your national flag, common art facts of your country; stories, games, picture and local recipes for cultural presentations from your country is advisable too for social interaction. Please carry along anything that you feel can well introduce you and your culture to make it enjoyable. Above all do not forget a happy and positive attitude and energy. Play kits or items for games and sports for kids maybe welcome too but optional.
NB: Very short (Hot pants); skirts and dresses will not be culturally welcome especially for female.
Smoking in public is illegal while engagement in drug/harsh carries a life prison sentence.