Water is Life
Amazzi Bulamu
Water is Life: Amazzi Bulamu
“The value of partnerships and
collaboration - everybody can
make a contribution”
Ms. Arleen Folan
Project Manager, WIL
School of Health & Science, DkIT
9th November 2010
Water is Life
Amazzi Bulamu
Overview
Uganda – water related facts & field
site location
 Background & goal of project
 Main activities
 Research projects
 Organisation of project & levels of
engagement
 GIS database
 Impacts of project on community

40 billion
hours are spent carrying
Water
is working
Life
water each
year in Africa
Amazzi
Bulamu
Households in rural Africa spend an
average of 26% of their time fetching
water – high female burden
WaterAid
At any one time, half of the developing
world's hospital beds are occupied by
patients suffering from water-related
diseases
UN
Water is Life - the background:
DkIT – long standing relationship with the
MMMs in Makondo
School of Health & Science
Centre for Freshwater Studies
443 million school days are lost each year
due to water-related diseases
UNESCO
2007 Networking grant awarded to
DkIT (10K)
2008 Potential partners identified
Southern & Northern
Water is Life
Amazzi Bulamu
Water is Life
Amazzi Bulamu
Water is Life
Funded
by Irish Aid/HEA Programme for
Strategic Co-operation
Multi-disciplinary project
Goal of this programme - to build research
capacity in Ireland and Africa
Water is Life - 5 year programme – 2008 to 2013
Large numbers of partners – both Southern and
Northern, HEIs, MMM Resource Centre ,
Makondo and NGOs
Water is Life
Amazzi Bulamu
Main activities
Develop appropriate activities in the area of water resource
sustainability & monitor its effects on community health,
gender & poverty through a combination of 8 PhD research
projects & community engagement
Technical
Social
Water
Economic
 Support
research with a “water-centred” focus;
 Examine water sourcing, distribution & sanitation;
 Assess impact of safe water provision on community & health &
gender;
 Engage community interest & support;
 Generation and provision of an appropriate GIS database; and,
 Ultimately inform a jointly developed taught Masters degree
programme (Ireland/Uganda).
Water is Life
Amazzi Bulamu
Water is Life
Amazzi Bulamu
My background
Education –
B.A. Economic, H. dip
•
•
Experience –
More than 10 years experience of managing projects
based in developing countries or economies in transition
•
Africa –
First visited Africa in 1997 (Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania,
Zanzibar)
Motivation (on this project)–
To make a difference to the lives of rural community in
Uganda
•
Water is Life
Amazzi Bulamu
Multiple Levels of Engagement
required
•
Academic –
Educators, University Officers & Managers, Potential &
Current Postgraduate Students, Undergraduates, Second
Level Students
•
Government –
Ministry Level (Health, Education primarily) – Ministers &
Officials, Local Government Officials
•
Community –
Citizens, Community Workers
•
Policy Influencers –
Professional Bodies & Training Bodies (North & South),
NGOs, Funding Agencies
PhD research projects
Water is Life
Amazzi Bulamu
1.
Sourcing & distribution of sustainable groundwater
supplies for rural water supply (DkIT/TCD/MUK)
2.
Sustainable pump technologies (DkIT/DCU/MUK)
3.
Solar disinfection of drinking water (RCSI/DCU/MUK)
4.
Health impact of SODIS using a school- based trial
protocol (RCSI/DCU/MUK)
5.
Water & water management needs: social & health
impacts on women & their children (DCU/DkIT/MUK)
6.
Adaptation of water management to climate change
(NUIM/MUK)
7.
The social impact of gendering water resource
management (NUIM/MUK)
8.
Understanding cooperation & conflict in local water
governance (DCU/MUK)
Water is Life
Amazzi Bulamu
GIS database
Water is Life
Amazzi Bulamu
Applications of GIS to NGOs:
Help to identify:
 The villages with most health issues,
 If these issues are related to water
sources
 Whether there is any correlation between
the distance travelled to water sources and
the health of the women and children?
 The percentages of the population without
access to clean water
 Recommended travel distance – for future
management etc.
Water is Life
Amazzi Bulamu
Impacts of this project
On the local community:
 Knowledge transfer
 Empowerment (through knowledge)
 Greater understanding of water &
appreciation of water quality issues
 Recognition of women and men’s
participation in decision making on water
 Sensitization on sanitation and hygiene
(SODIS)
 Increased community demand for
downward accountability from service
providers in the water sector
Water is Life
Amazzi Bulamu
www.dkit.ie/waterislife