3.3.1 Nsumba Twezimbe Salaam Women’s Club – Uganda

This project was founded by a club of six women in the Rakai district of Uganda with the initial goal of income generation in direct response to the HIV/AIDS scourge in the area. Sanitation and hygiene was integrated later and became the main goal. An Executive Committee of four runs the club supported by two committees, a Monitoring Committee and a Food Security Committee.

The project aims to integrate sanitation and hygiene with ongoing activities through home visits to its twenty member households, targeting disadvantaged widows, orphans and the elderly. Activities include education talks and demonstrations of systems such as latrines, hand washing facilities, drying rocks and bath shelters.

The identified success factors include organised women groups, involvement of Health Extension Workers and the local leadership, as well as the integration of sanitation and hygiene with ongoing activities. Locally available materials were used in construction. Examples include the use of grass/ papyrus for roofing, cementing of floors using warm soil mixed with cow dung and the use of specific leaves for anal cleansing.

Pillars for continued participation have included issuing of certificates of recognition, a Constitution with rules and regulations and cash awards.

A noble observation is that neighbouring villages are adopting the initiative expecting to be funded. This development not only provides a challenge to the project funders but underlines an interesting motive for sanitation and hygiene improvement.

The main achievements of the project include 100% sanitation coverage in the project area, reduction in sanitation related disease prevalence, spill over effect to other villages, recognition country wide as the cleanest village and a cash award of UG Shilling 7.5m and 600m (equivalent to US$ 4,400 and 350).

The key lessons learnt are that organised community groups act as entry points, local leaders' involvement increases acceptance, and the integration of sanitation and hygiene in other community (income generating) activities increases the chances of success.