WASH News East Africa
News feed maintained by information specialists from IRC and partners.
Kenya: Sewage problem a weighty issue in urban areas
28 May 10
Only 32 out of Kenya’s 178 local government authorities have a sewerage system. This means that 142 local authorities around the country lack access to any form of sewerage system and are therefore highly exposed to diseases, according to a report on the link to health and environment. The report on Kenya’s Situational Analysis and [...]
Uganda: The plight of Kampala’s garbage collectors
26 May 10
In the scorching midday sun, 25-year-old Bernard (not real name) uses his bare hands to gather garbage into a dirty sack. Dressed in a threadbare overall, and with no gloves, boots or face mask to guard him from the hazardous rotting garbage, Bernard risks catching diseases like cholera while on duty. “The smell is awful [...]
Uganda: Sironko now drinks water from the tap
26 May 10
The people of Sironko district have got safe drinking water thanks to the Japanese government. The development follows the commissioning of the Napenbo gravity flow water scheme, which Japan funded with a sh154m grant. The district chairman, David Wambi Kibale, while commissioning the scheme on Sunday, said it would supply piped water to 10 villages [...]
Kenya: Cholera fears as dysentery kills five people
25 May 10
Five people have died from a suspected dysentery outbreak in East Pokot District in the past three days. The victims include a mother and her child as well as a 35-year-old man. The three who died on Friday were from Amaya location. Tangulbei, two men died of massive dehydration on Thursday night after a bout [...]
Uganda: Despite its fine weather and hills, Kabale lacks clean water
25 May 10
Litres of water still flow from precious streams, but warm air in Kabale these days is raising concern over how long the green hills that make scenery similar to most of Switzerland outside Africa will continue to water homes, fields and livestock in the south-western district of Uganda. Uganda and its counterparts in the Nile [...]
Uganda: Cholera hits Moroto district
25 May 10
Moroto district is on the brink of a severe cholera outbreak having survived the wrath of Hepatitis E just three months ago. The epidemic is now going into its second week and shows little sign of slowing down. It has quickly spread into all 12 settlements of Kanakomol village in Nadunget sub-county in Moroto district, [...]
Uganda: Shortage of water hits Kisoro
11 May 10
About 11,000 residents of Kisoro Town Council are facing shortage of clean water after the service of the company contracted to supply water was terminated. George and Company Ltd has been treating, supplying and pumping water from Chuho Dam to residents of the town council and neighbouring sub-counties for the last three years. The town [...]
Tanzania, Zanzibar: sewage disposal challenge
07 May 10
Zanzibar’s waste management and sanitation facilities have not be able to cope with the increase in the Tanzanian island’s population, which grew from 300,000 in 1964 to 1.1 million people now. Only a minority of residents in Zanzibar City are connected to the sewerage network, which consists of a mere 25km of pipes. The rest [...]
Kenya, Nairobi: “a dream come true” for many slum residents
07 May 10
An innovative slum-upgrading project in Huruma*, to the northeast of the Kenyan capital, has provided improved homes to least 200 households, who now have running water, a sewage connection, electricity, drainage, paving and renovated toilet blocks. The Italian NGO, COOPI, which spearheaded the project, expects to deliver 50 more houses in the near future. Initially [...]
Sudan, Mundri: better hygiene means more girls stay in school
05 May 10
Many girls who do manage to go school in South Sudan, are forced to stay home one week a month – that’s three months a year, because there is no money to buy sanitary napkins. The Swedish SCA group, through its brands Libresse, Edet and Tork, is sponsoring a project by Oxfam Novib and Mundri [...]
