The ‘Water Plus’ project is a community development initiative in Agereger village, located in the Amuria District of Uganda. It is designed to address the challenges faced by women who lead the peasant agriculture. The project focuses on utilizing existing water sources to provide water for kitchen gardens, with the goal of increasing vegetable yields and enhancing household income .
Project Vision and Goals
Break the cycle of poverty : The project is a key step towards helping women in the village, many of whom live on less than USD 1.90 a day, to improve their livelihoods.
Improve food security and nutrition : The project aims to increase the availability of much-needed vegetables by enabling women to grow them in their own kitchen gardens. This will also improve the nutrition of children in a region where 27% of rural children are stunted.
Empower women : By providing solar-powered pumps for vegetable gardens, the project aims to increase market produce and improve nutrition for children, ultimately contributing to women’s empowerment.
Environmental regeneration : The initiative seeks to regenerate the environment and address land degradation, which has been caused by overuse and tree-cutting for brick making.
Cultural strengthening : The water source is intended to become a hub for cultural strengthening, building on the traditional clan governance system of the Ikaregwok Iriokobukui clan, which acts as a ‘development unit’ .
Challenges and Community Context
Low income and high energy burden : The average monthly household income is approximately UGX 45,000, with a significant portion spent on energy, primarily firewood.
Land Degradation : The land, which is tilled by women with hand tools, is degraded from overuse, tree cutting, and adverse weather changes like lengthy droughts and rain storms.
Health and socio-cultural issues : The community faces high rates of childhood stunting, and families are vulnerable to poor health and domestic violence, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Project Gallery
A house with a water tank.
Field agent conducting an agriculture assessment.
Bricks being made for construction, contributing to deforestation.
A traditional homestead with a woman.
Community women celebrating success of a new erected water tank.
Men gathered for a meeting under a tree.
Patron tour of the water project.
Degraded farmland in Agereger village.
Outcomes & Impact
Double
Increased Household Income
The target increase in household income through the sale of vegetables and tree seedlings.
27%
Childhood Stunting
The current rate of stunting among rural children in the area, a key metric the project aims to reduce.
94%
Firewood Reliance
Percentage of surveyed households that currently use firewood as their primary energy source.
1-2 acres
Agricultural Plot Size
The average size of plots owned per family, which are tilled by women with hand tools.
Long-term Impact
The ‘Water Plus’ project is designed to lead to significant improvements in family health by reducing respiratory illnesses associated with firewood smoke and freeing up women’s time from domestic tasks. The regeneration of the environment and the strengthening of cultural practices are also expected outcomes, making the water source a hub for the community.