By Mulengera Reporters
The Rotary Club of Kulambiro has commissioned a modern water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facility at Perfect Nursery and Primary School in Kulambiro, Kampala, in a major intervention aimed at improving hygiene, preventing water-related illnesses and reducing absenteeism among pupils.
The facility, which includes a water backup system comprising a 10,000-liter water tank, sanitation facilities and handwashing stations, was commissioned on Thursday at a colorful ceremony attended by school administrators, parents, pupils, Rotarians from different clubs and guests from Germany.
The chief guest was Rotary District 9213 Governor Gerald Obai, who commended the Rotary Club of Kulambiro and its president Eddie Rash for responding to a practical need in the community and turning the school into a beneficiary of Rotary’s WASH interventions.
The project followed the discovery by Rotary members that although the school was connected to the national water supply, it had no adequate backup system whenever the main supply was interrupted.
Rotary Club of Kulambiro President Eddie Rash said the club changed its initial plans after members visited the school and found that a water outage had left the institution struggling.
“When we came here one day, we found that challenge, the water had gone, and we changed the priority,” Ntumwa said.
He explained that the club had initially planned to concentrate on other areas, including supporting the school’s unfinished classroom block, but decided to first address the urgent water and sanitation challenge.
The school’s head teacher Mr. Drake Kizito who said he has worked at the institution for more than 19 years, said the school had previously struggled with handwashing because it relied on a few jerycan and did not have a reliable flowing water supply.
He said the situation contributed to frequent stomach aches, flu and other complications among pupils, sometimes forcing children to miss school, particularly the younger ones.
“This project is not just about taps and tanks. It is about life, health and dignity for our children,” the head teacher said.
He said the intervention had changed the image of the school and given pupils facilities that reflect the standards the institution aspires to achieve.
The head teacher pledged that the school would maintain the facility, ensure a constant supply of water and soap and incorporate handwashing into the pupils’ daily school routine and lessons.
He also challenged the pupils to take ownership of the facility, urging them to wash their hands before eating, after visiting the latrine and after playing, while keeping the facility clean.
Governor Obai said WASH remains one of Rotary’s key areas of intervention and is particularly important in schools where poor sanitation can expose young children to infections.
He said children who fall sick and miss lessons lose valuable learning time, which can ultimately affect their future.
“Rotary can only be relevant when it has a presence where it is needed,” Obai said, praising the Kulambiro club for identifying the school’s needs and acting on them.
He also commended the school management for welcoming Rotary and becoming a reliable partner in implementing projects for the benefit of the pupils.
Obai recognized two women who first approached the school several years ago and initiated the relationship that eventually led to the current intervention.
The commissioning ceremony was also enlivened by performances from the pupils, who entertained the guests with songs and other presentations.
The event brought together Rotarians from different clubs, Rotaractors, parents and other supporters, as well as guests from Germany who had come to witness the impact of the Rotary intervention.
Ntumwa said the WASH project was part of a broader four-year partnership between the Rotary Club of Kulambiro and the school.
He said the club had previously donated more than 3,000 reading books and was planning to establish a library at the school.
The club has also supported improvements to the school’s Early Childhood Development block and plans to contribute towards the completion of an unfinished classroom block.
The Kulambiro Rotary Club President said the long-term objective is to help transform the school into a model institution capable of providing pupils with better learning facilities.
For the Rotary Club of Kulambiro, the newly commissioned WASH facility is therefore not an end in itself but another step in its broader effort to create lasting impact in the community. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
