Oliver Tibakunirwa first place winner home improvement campaign Nsongya village in Kiyombya sub-county, Bunyangabu district
towards improved sanitation for all
Published on: 19/11/2024
There is an unusual buzz of excitement in the local centre of the little-known Nsongya village in Kiyombya sub-county, Bunyangabu district. Oliver Tibakunirwa, 45, cannot hide her pride as she shows off her 100-liter water tank, a 20-liter jerrycan, and a bar of soap—rewards for winning first place in the home improvement campaign.
“This is not a surprise for me,” she says. “I have raised all my ten children here, and my youngest, who is two, has never been sick. I think it’s because my home is clean.”
For Oliver, maintaining a clean home is more than just a chore; it’s the foundation for her family’s safety and security, saving her both time and money. “My toilet has a door that shuts and opens smoothly, a tippy tap filled with clean water, and soap to wash our hands after use,” she explains, adding that she has learnt about the home sanitation standards from the community outreaches organised by the district health team. Sadly, for many households, building a proper toilet is an expense they cannot afford within their already strained subsistence income.
Districts are charged with service delivery but lack sufficient funding to implement comprehensive sanitation programmes. The District Sanitation and Hygiene Conditional Grant (DSHCG) falls short of covering all communities in dire need. Even worse, the grant cannot be used to subsidise sanitation facilities for households, leaving families to bear the costs.
“We cannot build toilets for them. Our responsibility is to teach until there is positive behaviour change,” says Sarah Kobusingye, Assistant District Water Officer in charge of Sanitation in Bunyangabu district. “By rewarding people like Oliver, we encourage a culture of citizen responsibility and hope it inspires others.”
Home improvement campaigns have become an increasingly popular approach, spreading awareness about the benefits of improved sanitation and hygiene. In Bunyangabu and Kabarole districts, organisations like IRC support these efforts with monitoring tools, expertise, and additional funding to cover entire villages, one at a time. Similarly, organisations like Amref Health Africa Uganda promote affordable sanitation technologies such as SATO pans, tippy taps, and EcoSan latrines, making sanitation accessible even for the poorest.
In Uganda, access to sanitation has stagnated at a dismal 19.5%, with a significant percentage of the population still practising open defecation.
“It’s a shame that many parents still disregard diarrhoea as a simple ailment not worth attention. Some even believe that infant faeces are harmless and leave their children to poo in the open,” says Julius Ategeka, a clinical officer at Kiyombya Health Center III in Bunyangabu district. “Families play a crucial role in our healthcare system,” Ategeka emphasises, highlighting the role of community home improvement campaigns in disease prevention.
“A person who defecates in the open threatens not just their own lives but everyone’s,” says Samuel Tusiime Tinkasimire, a Senior Sociologist at the Ministry of Water and Environment, serving in the Rural Water and Sanitation Regional Centre – 5. “Flies, diseases, and the stench don’t stay in one place; they affect and infect the whole community.”
While community outreach is driving behaviour change, Tinkasimire insists that stronger measures, including legal enforcement of sanitation statutes, are needed. “Government shouldn’t merely preach; it must act to protect community health,” he states.
Kabarole District has recently enacted its 2023 Hygiene and Sanitation Management Ordinance, outlining the responsibilities of citizens and authorities. The ordinance mandates all households to ensure the safe disposal of human waste, including regulations on the distance of pit latrines from homes and water sources, as well as maintenance standards.
Homeowners failing to maintain functional sanitation facilities face penalties, including fines or imprisonment. For those who fail to comply, a “Notice of Nuisance” is issued, warning them to make improvements within a specified timeframe.
“The notice isn’t just a warning,” Tinkasimire explains. “It’s an educational tool. It makes people aware of the harm they’re causing and gives them a chance to fix it.” If no action is taken, legal enforcement follows, gradually reducing the number of non-compliant individuals.
Each year, the cleanest households in target sub-counties receive public recognition as models for the community. For these families, a functioning latrine is more than improved sanitation—it’s peace, safety, and a source of pride for their families.
Champions like Sunday James, a resident of Kabarole District, shares how the campaigns have strengthened his marriage. “My wife and I are working together to keep the title as champions of clean homes,” he says with a smile. “Visitors come to our home to learn how we do it, and that’s all the peace I need.”
“It feels good to know I’m setting an example,” says Jane Kabajungu, 75. “We’re showing that it’s possible to live clean, healthy, and long lives.”
Oliver, Sunday, Jane and others like them may be few, but they are the heroes that are clearing the path to achieve open-defecation-free (ODF) villages.
Achieving ODF certification is a painstaking but worthwhile process. District health teams inspect all the homes in the villages. They assess latrine coverage, handwashing facilities, and latrine maintenance, such as VIPs (Ventilated Improved Pit Latrines) and EcoSan toilets. Villages that meet the criteria are awarded ODF certification, signalling that every household adheres to basic sanitation and hygiene standards.
The vision of 100% sanitation coverage by 2030 may seem ambitious, but communities like Nsongya village demonstrate that it’s possible.
“This is about more than toilets—it’s about dignity and quality of life,” Tinkasimire says. “When communities take responsibility, governments enforce the rules, and champions like Oliver lead the way, we all win.”
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This is about more than toilets—it's about dignity and quality of life
Samuel Tusiime Tinkasimire, Senior Sociologist, Ministry of Water and Environment
It feels good to know I'm setting an example. We're showing that it's possible to live clean, healthy, and long lives.
Jane Kabajungu, Nsongya village, Kiyombya sub-county, Bunyangabu district
