We are proud to partner with the Joint Efforts for Green Mountain Initiative (JEGMI) to improve water wells in frontline communities of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Eleven water wells in the six frontline villages of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwestern Uganda are in terrible mechanical conditions, and people have abandoned them due to poor water. We believe that when these water wells are rehabilitated, community members will gain self-sufficiency, which will reduce potential conflicts with wildlife in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

The Need

With over 2050 households, many of the people of the Mukono Parish live in areas that do not have access to safe, clean water. The wells have fallen into disrepair, and thus were abandoned by the local people. This forces community members, overwhelmingly women, to walk 3-4 hours from their homes to obtain clean water. JEGMI has conducted assessments and conversations with community members, and has identified several impacts of water scarcity in Mukono Parish:

Domestic violence: Because women are the individuals collecting the water, but are also responsible for household activities, they are late in preparing food for their husbands.

School dropouts, poor academic performance, and child labor: Because the women of the community have many responsibilities, there is often not enough time to fetch water, and the task then falls to children (especially female children). This leads to many days of missed school, which can impact academic performance, in addition to negative effects on physical and psychological development. 

Poverty: Collecting water takes a significant amount of time which could otherwise be spent on activities that would contribute to the economic income of the household. 

Poor health: As an alternative to traveling long distances to the wells, but closer alternative sources are often the source of water-borne diseases.

Our Contribution

BCI has supported the rehabilitation of two water wells in frontline communities around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. While BCI provides the financing, local community members lead the project initiation and completion.

Next Steps

This project will encourage self-sustainability of the community by creating water use committees with coordination with JEGMI to oversee newly-renovated wells, to manage operation and maintenance of wells.

Objectives of the Project:

1. Renovate eleven water wells in the Buhoma, Mukono, Nyakeina, Rubono, Kanyamisiga, and Kanyashande villages of Mukono Parish
2. Train members of the Mukono Parish on water usage, management, sanitation

Expected Outcomes:

1. Increased access to clean water for the population Mukono Parish
2. Decrease water-borne disease
3. Promote education for female children
4. Increase household incomes
5. Decrease domestic violence
6. Reduction in potential conflict with wildlife of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park as a result of self-sufficiency of the community