By Guest Writer
For generations, the people of Tisai have lived surrounded by water, yet struggled to access safe drinking water. With sanitation facilities nearly nonexistent, the lake has provided water, relief, and a shared resource for people and animals. Today, a new initiative by Habitat for Humanity Uganda is bringing hope for a healthier, more dignified future.
For the people of Tisai Sub-county, surrounded by lakes Opeta, Bisina and Okolitorum, water has never been scarce. Safe water, however, has remained an island in a sea of water; Tisai’s nearly 8,000 residents have spent decades drawing water from the same lake where people bathe, wash, dispose of waste, and water their animals. With virtually no sanitation facilities, the lake has long been both a lifeline and a threat to health. It is a paradox that has defined life on the island for generations: surrounded by water yet deprived of one of life’s most necessities.
Beyond the challenges of water and sanitation, Tisai has remained largely cut off from essential services. Access to healthcare, education, markets and reliable transport infrastructure is severely limited. Much as the subcounty has an existing public health facility, Akide Health Centre II, Tisai Island is yet to have one, and the only available primary school is a community support one, with the Island gaining road access from the mainland as recently as 2003. The community’s isolation has hindered development, deepened poverty and left many families struggling to meet even their most basic needs.
“The people of Tisai have been forgotten. Previously, the place was referred to as hard to reach, but now, even with a single road access, Tisai remains a hard place to stay,” says John Stephen Kasadha, the Kumi District Chief Administrative Officer. His words reflect the reality of a community that has spent years on the margins of development, waiting for opportunities and investments that many others take for granted.
Surrounded by water, thirsty for change
Despite its location on an island, Tisai has no reliable source of safe and clean water. Sanitation facilities are almost non-existent, with only one dilapidated latrine serving the sub-county headquarters. Residents also lack access to a government school and a health facility, while poor road infrastructure makes it difficult to transport produce, access services or engage in profitable economic activities.
For Gilbert Malinga, LC I Chairperson of Acera Village, limited market access remains one of the community’s greatest frustrations. “We have one road. No market. We have animals we could sell to earn some income, but we cannot,” he says. His concern mirrors the reality faced by many households. Families may own livestock and have productive land, but without access to markets, income-generating opportunities remain out of reach. Coupled with increasingly unpredictable weather patterns, food insecurity is a constant concern.
According to Tisai Sub-county Chief, Olupot Charles, the community continues to struggle despite its rich natural resources. “Latrine coverage here is at 0.05 per cent. Tisai is surrounded by water, but it’s very hard to find a clean water source. They have plenty of land but cannot farm effectively. The resultant effect is high HIV/AIDS infection rates and increased poverty indicators,” he says.
Fishing remains the area’s primary economic activity. Yet inadequate infrastructure, limited market access and few alternative livelihood opportunities continue to trap many households in a cycle of poverty. Behind these statistics are families who aspire to the same things as communities elsewhere: safe drinking water, decent sanitation facilities, quality education for their children, reliable incomes and the dignity of living in a healthy environment. For Tisai, the challenge is not merely geographical isolation. It is the cumulative burden of years without the basic services that enable communities to thrive.
A new chapter begins.
Today, Tisai’s story is beginning to change. A new wave of hope arrived with the launch of the four-year Integrated WASH, Climate Resilience and Food Security Project, an initiative designed to improve living conditions, strengthen household resilience and expand access to essential services across the island.
Implemented by Habitat for Humanity Uganda (HFHU) with funding from Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and in partnership with Inspire Youth for Development, the project will reach 13 villages across four parishes in Tisai Sub-county. At its core lies a simple but transformative goal: ensuring that families have access to safe water, improved sanitation, stronger food security and sustainable livelihood opportunities.
The project will establish a solar-powered water supply system that will distribute clean water through multiple access points across the 13 villages. Two additional hand pumps will also be constructed. Hydrological surveys have already been completed, laying the groundwork for identifying viable water sources. For a community that has depended on unsafe lake water for generations, these interventions promise more than infrastructure. They offer healthier lives, reduced exposure to waterborne diseases and more time for families to pursue education and economic activities instead of searching for safe water.
Sanitation is another urgent priority. The project will construct 40 model latrines using 3 technologies (unburnt bricks, burnt bricks and Interlocking Stabilised Soil Blocks) for the community to replicate and train 15 local artisans to support households in building their own sanitation facilities. Community members will receive digging kits to encourage wider latrine coverage and foster a culture of improved hygiene and sanitation.
At the same time, community sensitisation campaigns will promote safer hygiene practices, while a rainwater-harvesting facility will be installed at a community school. Teachers will be trained in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) management, including the operation and maintenance of facilities, helping to ensure long-term sustainability.
Recognising that lasting transformation extends beyond water and sanitation, the project also focuses on livelihoods and economic empowerment. Under the initiative, 120 women will receive training in soap-making, while 40 adolescent girls will learn how to produce reusable sanitary pads. Five farmer field schools will be established to strengthen agricultural practices and improve food security. Young people will also be trained in briquette production, creating alternative livelihood opportunities while promoting environmental conservation. Together, these interventions aim to tackle the interconnected challenges of poor sanitation, climate vulnerability, food insecurity and limited economic opportunity.
When hope finds a home
At the project launch, the mood was unlike anything Tisai has experienced in years. Community members danced, cheered and chanted “Habitat” with excitement and anticipation for what lies ahead. Their celebration reflected more than gratitude. It reflected hope.
For residents who have lived without adequate sanitation facilities, the prospect of learning to build and use latrines represents a step towards dignity and improved health. For families who have relied on unsafe lake water, the promise of clean and accessible water sources offers renewed confidence in the future. And for parents, the possibility of improved services creates hope that their children may enjoy opportunities they themselves never had.
The project has only just begun, but the energy witnessed during the launch spoke volumes about the community’s readiness to embrace change. Its success will ultimately be measured not by infrastructure alone, but by lasting outcomes: fewer families relying on unsafe water, increased sanitation coverage, girls managing their menstrual health with dignity, households strengthening their food security and young people gaining skills that create sustainable livelihoods.
For Habitat for Humanity Uganda and its partners, the challenge now is to translate this optimism into lasting impact by working alongside residents to ensure that the facilities, skills and opportunities created today continue to serve future generations. Tisai’s transformation will not happen overnight. Years of neglect and isolation cannot be reversed through a single intervention. Yet with improved access to clean water, better sanitation, stronger livelihoods and active community ownership, the foundations for lasting change are being laid.
For generations, Tisai has been surrounded by water but denied the benefits that water should bring. Now, for the first time in many years, the island is beginning to imagine a future where geography no longer determines destiny. Tisai may have been forgotten for years, but its people have not given up hope. And as the community begins this new chapter, the dream is no longer merely to survive on an island surrounded by water. It is to live with dignity, opportunity and the promise of a better tomorrow. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
