Access to safe water

Water and sanitation are essential for life and health, but they are also essential for dignity, empowerment and prosperity. Water and sanitation are human rights, fundamental to every child and adult. But in Uganda, poor sanitation and hygiene, as well as unequal access to safe drinking water, make thousands of children very sick and at risk of death.
 
Diarrhoea alone, one of three major childhood killers in Uganda, kills 33 children every day. 

In most cases, children get the disease by drinking unsafe water or coming into contact with contaminated hands. Early childhood diarrhoea is not only deadly; it also contributes to Uganda’s high levels of stunting, which in turn affects children’s cognitive development and performance at school. In school, lack of proper sanitation facilities also leads to high absenteeism and dropouts, especially for girls.

Access to improved water and sanitation facilities does not, on its own, necessarily lead to improved health. It needs another step: there is now very clear evidence showing the importance of hygienic behaviours especially hand washing with soap after defecating.

Towards the end of the second quarter of last year, Kihihi sub-county experienced a prolonged dry-spell after rains was expected to start in March-April up to May-June did not come in sufficient amounts.

The drought affected many parishes in the sub-county, with farmers saying they have incurred heavy losses caused by poor germination, especially of cereals which constitute most diets in Uganda

QEMF tends to extend gravity piped water to 2 villages of Kihihi sub-county to be able to combat water shortage challenge being experienced.

It only needs $9722 to support a population of 125000 people access safe water for home consumption