Health Goes Global is both humbled and proud to work with Surge for Water, our biggest collaboration in 2021 to date! Since 2008, Surge for Water has been investing in communities to provide holistic, sustainable, and long-term solutions with a focus on water. Through this collaboration, we aim to provide access to safe water and hygiene to Ogolai Primary School in Kalaki, Uganda. These efforts will impact 1,300 community members in Kalaki and Kaberamaido, which are referred to as the ‘Forgotten Districts’ of Northern Uganda. These communities of 220,000 people were the last frontier for Uganda’s most recent civil wars, which resulted in extreme poverty and lack of safe water access. As a result, these vulnerable communities suffer from water, sanitation, and hygiene-related illnesses.

Well Rehabilitation

Only 50% of Ugandans treat their water, which means many are not treating contaminated water and others are spending exorbitant amounts of time boiling water. Members of the Kalaki and Kaberamaido communities travel long distances to obtain clean drinking water as their local borehole has leaky pipes, which subsequently leads to pooling of contaminated water. The well rehabilitation will provide safe drinking water closer to the point of consumption for these community members and Ogolai School.

Latrine Construction

To confound the unsafe drinking water conditions, the Ogolai Primary School has dilapidated and unsanitary latrines (shown below). The bathrooms now are are falling apart with foundation cracking. Additionally, they are missing doors and have no sink or near by location to wash one’s hands. The latrines we are constructing will have 5 stalls and a washroom. There will be an incinerator for contaminated hygiene products and the roof will collect rain water to supply the sinks with water.

The dilapidated latrines serving 370 girls before construction.

Classroom Water Filters

We will provide 7 classroom water filters. These ceramic portable water filters are locally made, eco-friendly, and will filter 99.9% of bacteria all while lasting for 3 years.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Training & Soap Making Classes

The critical component to the sustainability of this mission is sanitation and hygiene education. The WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) training teaches students about the water cycle, how germs spread, waterborne illnesses, and critical sanitation/hygiene practices.

Menstrual Hygiene Health

The unsafe and unsanitary bathroom conditions also create barriers for girls to maintain privacy and cleanliness during menstruation. Consequently, the stigma and shame behind menstruation results in school drop-out, child marriage, violence, exclusion, and poverty. According to data from the Ugandan Ministry of Health report, 64% of girls reported missing school due to their period. The compounding of these unsafe and unsanitary conditions inspired HGG and Surge to provide sustainable long-term solutions. The students will also be trained on menstrual health to engage, educate, and empower women and girls. They learn about menstrual hygiene, cycle tracking/management, and how to make reusable pads. Through education and the mitigation of stigma over menstruation, girls will attend school more and feel safe and valued as women.