Lighting Other Women's Candle

There are women born to and willing to light other people's candle and shine a light for humanity. One such woman is Rev Mrs Ijeoma Emeribe, the President and Founder of Woman Africa Foundation and Touching Lives TV.  When Maria Powerson met her at some point she stood looking outside the window...deep in thought then looked deeply at her and said, 'No one comes into my life and remains the same.Their lives must be one better than l found them,' She said.

She is in Kenya to do what she does best...empower women through an upcoming event later in the year. The event will be a triple edged one a fashion show,conference and concert.  The fashion show will include, exhibitors displaying their products mainly geared at displaying classic decent wear for the Christian woman. There will also be a day for a women's empowerment conference and finally, full fledged concert with leading musicians drawn from Kenya and Nigeria.

Even though she is a Reverend, her approach is wholistic when it comes to addressing the issues some face.Women Missionaries to African Nations also known as WOMAN Africa Foundation is a faith based organization whose aim is to teach,inspire and to make women become the best they can be.WOMAN Africa benefits women who are from different religious backgrounds.

She is sharply aware that her organization is getting into a world where development aid has been offered without much of a difference.That they will change."l keep in mind that the people who finance me together with my contribution want results.You can actually make one a Christian through your deeds,"she says.
WOMAN Africa had its first conference earlier in the year in Nigeria with over 800 women in attendance. A good number of them got financial help to start off or upscale their small scale businesses. She adds,"That's what it is all about. Women with small scale businesses must be able to go to the next level without being stopped by the fact they lack collateral." The organization has also been providing business training for the women and in some cases readily available markets for their businesses.

Why is she so passionate about giving practical help to those who need it?Simple," In Bible school l was taught faith without works is dead.I must not only be able to able to preach the gospel to the world but l must go further and meet their needs,"she emphasizes.
To women she notes that they need to take their rightful place in their families and in the world by being leaders wherever they find themselves.

More Needs to be Done in Kenya to uplift women

By Marceline Nyambala

Even as the 60th edition of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) starts in New York, one will agree that the Kenyan woman has come a long way. She is no longer the face of poverty but of “tenacity and resilience”. This is best exemplified by efforts women from all classes of society demonstrate at household and community level; to make something out of nearly nothing. When travelling to Northern parts of Kenya, it amazes me to watch women herd camels and goats even up to very late at night. I always wonder about gender roles and the safety of the women as they are exposed to all elements of nature, from animals to bandits to Al Shabaab. Perhaps they have found a way around the situation. Access to water remains an issue for many women in Kenya. Indeed, women in Kenya, like in many parts of the world, “hold up half the sky”. Grandmothers hold up half of Kenya’s sky. Without the many grandmothers in the villages who take care of their grandchildren as their daughters seek employment in the cities as domestic workers, many offices would not run. See also: Too many proposals on gender rule slowing process, says AG The education sector best exemplifies efforts that have been invested to keep the girl-child in school and improve transition levels. The transition rates of boys over the last five years have been above the national aggregate (between 60-72 per cent), that of girls between 44-50 per cent. According to the just released 2015 Kenya Certificate of Secondary School exam results, out of the 522,870 candidates who sat the exams 279,289 were boys while 243,581 were girls. Boys outperformed girls in 22 out of the 29 subjects. Female students did better in English, Kiswahili, Christian Religious Education, Home Science, Art and Design, German and French. Some of the greatest achievements for Kenyan women in history are gains contained in the Constitution 2010. There are huge gains in representation, protection from harmful cultural practices, access to justice, freedom of information, privacy, ownership of property and land. Dispersing power to the devolved units means services moved nearer to the villages where most women eke out a living. Yet despite that, Kenyan women perform dismally compared to regional peers in terms of political representation. Kenya is at 19.7 per cent compared to Uganda's 35 per cent, Tanzania's 36 per cent, Rwanda's 63.8 per cent and South Africa's 41.9 per cent. The two-thirds gender rule has remained elusive partly because there is lack of political will to make it a reality. A constitutional crisis looms in August 2016 unless a consensus is reached now. Kenya remains largely a patriarchal society resulting in not many women getting elected into politics or offering themselves for elective or appointive posts. Only 16 women were elected to the National Assembly in 2013. More than 100 competed for the 290 seats, but no woman was elected to the Senate and or as a governor.
Read more at: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000194054/we-need-to-do-more-to-uplift-women?articleID=2000194054&story_title=we-need-to-do-more-to-uplift-women&pageNo=2

WHY MASCULINITY HAS GAINED PROMINENCE IN THE KENYAN MEDIA

She starred straight across the court room. She seemed remorseful. It was not  clear whether she truly sorry for her actions or it was the guilt and weight of the events of the last 24 hours that had given her national prominence. When she had arrived the court hours earlier crowds had bayed for her blood. Her crime of passion being that she had chopped off her husband’s manhood for coming home late drank and getting a condom in his pocket.  It was hard to read what was going on in her mind even as the court later released her on the Ksh 20,000 bail.

Weeks later another man from the same region suffered the same fate.  Weeks earlier coincidentally several T.V interviews, radio talks show and articles had started featuring masculinity.  Indeed masculinity has gain prominence in the Kenyan media.

 What are the reasons for increased coverage of masculinity in Kenya or the lack of it?

The answer lies in News values i.e

Relevance – The first reason why many people are interested in the story whether it be on fatherhood, absentee dads, domestic violence against men, neglect of the boy child; is that they find it relevant in one way or the other.

Second is the dimension of Conflict – Conflict makes good stories. The fact that there seems to be  conflict or perceived conflict between the two genders.

Digital media: Shaping & changing media education and consumption patterns

I participated in an interesting discussion on digital media hosted by Media Policy Research Center (MPRC) held over the weekend.

Some of the trends noted were emerging opportunities especially for creative souls, freedom to cover, get covered, and of speech never experienced in the history of mainstream media in Kenya.More and more people are enjoying the MIB; yes money in the bank but probably not enough.

Impact on journalism education and practice

The discussion dwelt on how journalism education and practice was being shaped by the dynamic digital media environment in particular the convergence of the media. – which means the wedding together of at least two previously competitive media delivery formats(platforms) for example, T.V, radio, or newspaper on the internet platform, and delivered through a computer, mobile phone, watch etc.

One of the effects of convergence is that a journalist who is multi-skilled and can write report, handle the camera, handle sound, photography and edit has an added advantage.it is also preferable if they have a command of both English and Kiswahili.

It was noted that although journalism schools have churned more journalists than could fit in the newsrooms, any journalist could start to ply their trade immediately on the digital platform. “The ground has shifted and everybody is taking their space.” A participant shared that their newspaper was widely read in The Netherlands and by individuals who went direct to the website and not through social media.Media educators reported shrinking print media classes as most students were wowed by the glitz and celebrity status of broadcasters wanting to be news anchors rather than writers.If you can deliver interesting pieces, and other content to that busy person on the go – there lots of opportunities for you online one participant said.

Is there Money in the Bank (MIB)?

Advertising follows content is the mantra. Are local platforms or Kenyan owned online platform making money? Well, uh….In terms of revenue the more eyebrow-raising or eyeball-popping the content the more the followers and hits some of which resulted in revenue streams for platforms owners. Some of the rate cards mentioned run a banner advertisement for Ksh300,000. Opportunities arenot just the money earned by writing, films, pictures but also from other websites, crowd funding etc. Reports say that in mid-2014 the bulk of online earning went to search engine giant Google, which continues to be the very biggest player online, collecting $31.4 million in sales which was one third of the total revenue. Amazon came in at number two.

Is there need to be concern about the Brow raising and Eye popping platforms?

On the premise that media shapes public opinion, attitude and could influence culture and behavior  concern was expressed over some of the popular platforms and the content they present. For example a mention was made of the emergence of socialites and some of the principles they espouse. Is there reason for concern and reason to ring the alarm bells? Kenya has an estimated 45million population and online access is dominated by the more educated, urban population. Ventures Africa in its“The State of Social Media in Kenya” mid last year estimates that four million Kenyans, roughly 10 percent of the population,daily engage in social media. Facebook dominates Kenya’s social media with 3.8 million users. Far behind them is LinkedIn with 1.5million users, Twitter with 650,000 users and Google+ with 350,000.In 2013, Kenya had the 6th largest number of Facebook accounts after Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Are the 4million Kenyans impressionable or are they watching what they have always watched?

The concern may lie in ease of access. This has been enhanced by availability and affordability of smartphones, proliferation of cyber cafes in various residential neighbourhoods. The relative anonymity of the blogosphere and other forms of social media has enabled this explosion.

Also, the fact that there are millions of young people with more than just a brushing of basic education has fuelled the wheels of runaway consumerism of any electronic fad.

Is there need for Ethics, public interest and regulation?

There were questions on ethical considerations, public interest and whether the regulators will gain teeth and muscle to govern the online sphere. One participants noted that cautioned that “care must be taken not to damn a whole generation!.”

Celebrating & Mourning Efua

I also mourn and celebrate Efua Dorkenoo who passed on on the 18th of October 2014. I met her some time in the late 2000 when FORWARD in collaboration with AIDOS organised a meeting for partners including AMWIK working to address Female Genital Mutilation in the region.

Fireless Cooker saves you money, time & keeps more forests

Fireless cooker saves you money, time and keeps more forests!

Having walked through the Nairobi Agricultural Society of Kenya(ASK) show - probably for the sixth or seventh time in my life with the usual crowd and dust having been dragged there by my son who could hear nothing about not going to the show.  One of my favourite stands is that of the ministry of agriculture. And recollected how fascinated we would be growing up to see how silk material is woven from silk worms. Another popular lesson was to watch the bees and learn . The attendant said bees work all the time even at night there is some work going on.  I make a mental note to create time to study the bees and their lifestyle!
I  admire the well maintained big cabbage and kale farms. Somebody else was sharing about the rabbit meat and selling pieces of fried rabbit meat at price which literally costed an arm and a leg - he was quick to add that its a wonderful delicacy with low fat and cholestral content.

The Ministry also had on its display a wide array of many energy saving devices mostly jikos stoves .  Why hadnt I seen this before!" This is thought that struck me when I looked at the basket branded the fireless cooker insulated inside and with a black cloth as its covering. Here was the fireless cooker which promised to save you 40 per cent of your domestic expenditure on fuel and I hadnt seen it!. How could have been so blind. So I decided to purchase one.  I fished the 30$ about 2500Ksh and bought the basket. On arriving home I was anxious to test my new find and whether the impulse buying would pay off!

I prepared the rice measured the water two cups of hot water for every cup of rice and let it simmer for while in the gas cooker and then transferred it to the basket and went on do other chores and catch up with news. 30 minutes later the rice was ready. Not only was the rice well cooked but there was not a piece of rice stuck to the cooking pan.  The rice having been cooked with the trapped heat from the insulated material and black cloth.
Why then wasnt the fireless cooker in every house I wondered with such savings.  The more I thought of it the more I realised that much more can be achieved for example, it can save many forests if used in the rural areas where many still rely on firewood.  In the urban areas it will save your electricity or gas if you cook with an electric cooker or gas cooker.

Alice Musau from the Urban food security section of Ministry of Agriculture shares that when it was introduced it was perceived to target only the poor as opposed to all households.
I conclude that solutions to some of our fundamental problems might be simple and within reach.  I thought of the story of the man who sold his farm and went to search for his acres of gold yet his farm was endowed with gold! Look around your environment!

Alice Musau prepares to offer tips on making the fireless cooker  she says you can cook many food items including legumes, vegatables, meat as well as Ugali(made from maize flour and hot water stirred and turned)

These are just some of the steps in making the basket.  So why doesnt everybody have one in Kenya or many parts of Africa. For it has a big role to play in addressing climate change issues.
For these reasons.
1.Saves you time
2.Saves you money.
3.Saves forests
4.Reduces carban emissions

Afro Dispatch on Water & Sanitation

Chikhwawa, Malawi

Matriach helps mobilise water and sanitation for her village in Chikhwawa

Meet Elida Singret Timbenawo the lll(Third),she is the Senior Chief of Timbenawo village, Chikwawa, Malawi. with her leadership and mobilisation, she has collaborated with Water For People, in turning around the fate of her village in terms of access to water and sanitation. 

Elida Singret Timbenawo the lll(Third),is the Senior Chief of Timbenawo village, Chikwawa, Malawi

Timbenawo village has come from being a water scarce, disease prone place where women walk for four hours in search of water to one where communal water is readily available, children are healthier and women look smarter and have more time for themselves. However there are few parts of the village yet to get boreholes.

The joy of having a nearby water source! See what a festival, collecting water at peak hours becomes.


So now there is water! 

And more water even for this young one who is lucky to be born at a time when there is a nearby water source.

What about the operation and maintainance of the hand pump boreholes.  Well each village has a water point committee who oversee the running of the water points and usually the tariff is paid by households on a  monthly basis.

mnyambala@waterforpeople.org

Except for a few parts of Chikhwawa which are yet to get boreholes and Water For People intends to construct additional boreholes in the coming months.  See below a woman gets water from a scoop hole. An sure her story will soon change.

Re -imagine Reflection on the future of Rwandas Water and Sanitation

Online yearly tracking of progress in Water and Sanitation in targetted districts

Marceline Nyambala

The first time I heard about Re- imagine reporting was at Water For People; and it immediately conjured up connotative images of people reflecting on past progress of a project by engaging their imagination.  Having been weaned into a diet of  self-explanatory names like Water For People, Everyone Forever I assumed that Re- imagine reporting was in the same regimen.


Nick Burn Chief of Programmes, Water For People discusses the RIR platform with Water For People Staff at their offices in Kigali.

I finally get a chance to participate in such an exercise of the Water For People just a few weeks after launch of the Re- imagine reporting platform that took place on the 17^th of April 2013 in Denver Colorado. Well it turned out that my connotative meaning was not very far from the actual exercise going by the deliberations of preparatory meeting.    The re-imagine reflection session for Rwanda was scheduled take place between 13- 17 May 2013 in Kigali with the first two days being preparatory sessions.

Day One

On 13 May 2013, I meet for breakfast Mr Gordon Mumbo, the Africa Regional Manager and Nick Burns, Chief of International Progammes and thanks to the photos on Skype and other online platforms with pictures, I easily recognize Burn whom I am meeting for first time. The walk to the Water For People offices from Classic hotel thereafter is less than five minutes. A convenience I did not enjoy the last time I was in Rwanda for the Rulindo “Every One Forever” meeting in November 2012, as the hotel was actually under construction.

We soon get to the office and after a short exchange of pleasantries Mr Mumbo kicks off the meeting. As this is a preparatory sessions, everybody shares about their activities. We hear from Sebastian Ngomanziza, Project Officer that the Water For People, had been receiving favourable ratings from the evaluation team from Immigration department as an agent of change due to relevant and tangible work on the ground.  A factor, he says means that Water For People would continue its operations in the districts of Rwanda. Colleagues confirm that several Civil Society organizations have been suspended after poor ratings and disapproval from their districts of operation. Ngomanziza further reminds us that Eco – san toilet, had been endorsed for all schools seeking to put up pit latrines in Rulindo district during the last Every One Forever meeting in the district. An Eco San, is an ecological toilet, which is urine-diverting system toilet where feaces are separated from urine and reused as fertilizers.

Eco - san toilet; an example of sanitation project by Water For People

We also learn from Steve Mugabo, Business Development Manager that in Ntarabana sector in Rulindo a sacco had approved loans for 49 households to build various toilets including VIP, Pour Flush and Eco- San toilets. However he reveals that some two individuals, have been denied loans by the sacco due to difficulty in paying the last time. The first disbursement is expected in mid-June.  This we are told is within the context and a recent government policy to open up saccos in every sector to encourage savings. The cost of the toilet could be 86,000 RWF but could go down to 25,000 RWF if one has their own resources, with an interest of two per cent on a reducing balance.
Perpetue Kamuyumbu, Rwanda Country Director expressed her excitement at the prospect of the upcoming RIR reflection session. “During the reflection we will see how far we have gone with Everyone,” Kamuyumbu said. She pointed out that 15 people were expected including EWSA, the districts of Rulindo, & Kicukiro and noting that the meeting  had also brought on board Chief of International Programms, the Regional manager and well as Regional Communication & Knowledge management person.
Mugabo said data was collected in the 17 sectors of Rulindo, using FLOW phones uploaded on dash boards.  Genevive Banimana said she hoped issue of co- financing can be brought to the fore. “Often the cost of hardware is clear, however the cost of software is not understood and not planned for including capacity building for staff, monitoring end evaluation.

Thank God for our colleague Eileen Lambert in Denver for uploading the information on the RIR platform online on Kicukiro on http://reporting.waterforpeople.org/kicukiro  & http://reporting.waterforpeople.org/rulindo for Rulindo we had data on the RIR platform to refer to. But what is the RIR platform?  Re-Imagine Reporting platform is an interactive window into Water For People’s progress over time, of its Every One Forever showing the organization’s successes and challenges, while giving stakeholders a comprehensive understanding of the effectiveness of Everyone Forever versus a spreadsheet with line items and figures. On the platform, you'll find information, data, metrics and stories about our work.

Perpetue Kamuyumbu, Water For People
Country Director with colleague Genevive 

Everyone Forever is Water For People’s initiative whereby the organisation works with other WASH sector players to create a world where ”Everyone”  every family, every school, and every clinic in the areas we work, have access to improved water and sanitation before we rest, or move to a new place. “Forever,” looks beyond the work of installing hardware-tanks, pipes, pumps, and latrines, and focus on building local knowledge and institutional systems that support water and sanitation services forever. Mumbo says the preparatory meeting was spent looking at parameters necessary for the RIR session. 

Every One Forever comes at a cost says Mumbo and it is important to know what the Forever would cost.  Mumbo said there lessons from other countries who have started including various costs operations, maintenance as well as replacement in the tariffs.  Progressively these lessons will be put on the platform.

Water For People Africa Regional Manager shares a point during the preparatory meeting

“Capital required for  Every One Forever in Rulindo or Kicukiro is estimated at $16 million while the existing assets are worth $ 30 million, thus 46 million will be required to replace the system after 25 years,” says Nick Burns, Head of International Programs. Burns says the whole question of where the resources to achieve EF, Forever will be discussed.  A key question with regard to achieving “Every One” is whether we have the capacity to reach Every one, while the question Forever is whether we have institutions and processe to ensure  water and sanitation services forever.

The Water For People partners are expected on  Wednesday 15 May at a hotel Beansejour hotel in Kigali for the RIR sessions.

 

Water For People Launches Re-Imagine Reporting Platform

Water For People Launches Re-Imagine Reporting Platform

SANIPRENUERS IN KENYA TO SELL ENERGY TO THE NATIONAL GRID

Sanitation entrepreneurs generating biogas in Kenya can now sell energy to the national grid following the revision of pricing policy by the Energy Regulatory Authority (ERA).

The decision is expected to attract more business people in the biogas sector including those responding to the sanitation crises in some urban centers by using human waste to generate biogas.  According to ERA‘s new pricing policy suppliers of solar power and biogas will make increased income by supplying to the national grid.

Most rural and peri urban towns have more than their supply of human waste which can generate biogas.  Most of the human waste is discarded in pit latrines, yet its value chain can be expanded to include fuel as well as fertilizer and in the process create employment for technicians, attendants, farmers, vendors etc.  Human waste for biogas and ultimately fertilizer can be adopted by other countries.

Suppliers of solar power will earn Ksh 10.25 ($0.12) per kilowatt while those supplying biogas will earn Ksh 9.39 ($0.11) from Ksh 6.8 ($0.08). In rural and peri urban areas where sewage and piping systems are absent though a challenge presents an opportunity to create business and employment opportunities for the burgeoning unemployed populations.

Biogas tank; courtesy  Living Mandala 

Kenya’s main source of energy is Hydro-electricity at 48 per cent, which suffers interruption during drought. While thermal generates 37 per cent, geothermal generates 12.4 percent, wind 0.3 per cent, co-generation 2.4 percent. According to Ministry of Information, Kenya currently generates 1350MW of electricity and needs to generate 15000MW in the next 20 years if it is to realize the Vision 2030. Vision 2030 is Kenya’s economic blue print that addresses, economic, social and political pillars aimed at transforming Kenya to a newly industrializing middle income country providing high quality life to all its citizens in a clean and secure environment as well as 10 per cent economic growth per annum.

Kenya National Bureau of Statistics data shows that all consumer categories recorded an increased demand in electricity with domestic, commercial and industrial, and rural electrification increasing by 10.8, 7.6 and 3.5% respectively.  With a growing rise in population and development, the government of Kenya is seeking ways to generate more renewable energy.

A comprehensive study and analysis on Energy Consumption patterns in Kenya by the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) for ERA while stating the” the future of energy is in Green energy” showed that about 70% of the consumers use biomass while 30% use other fuels.

Human waste is already being used in different parts of Kenya to generate energy. In the sprawling Kibera’s Katwekera village already a radical paradigm shift has taken place.  The area hitherto known for its flying toilets (where individuals relieved themselves in their houses in a polythene paper and at an opportune time throw it away) in one of the narrow streets, rooftops or rivers now has a biogas center which provides sanitation services as well as provide energy to cook. 

There are several biogas centers in Nairobi’s informal area where bio-digesters generate power from human waste.  Residents pay Ksh 1 or ($ 0.01162) to use the toilets and Ksh 2 ($0.02) to shower and pay Ksh 10 ($0.12) to cook food for the day which would usually cost nearly 20 times what they are charged when they cook at the biogas centers   Some of the bio -centers earn Ksh 1500 or ($17.45) which pays salaries for those employed at the center. (See Citizen T.V past coverage) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_m1nr2v5S8o

Jomo Kenyatta University College of Agriculture and Technology (JKUCAT) installed its own biogas digesters to serve its 5,000 student population. Some private sector companies have not been left behind, at Farmer’s Choice meat processing plant at Kamiti Estate in Nairobi, biogas flames are replacing kerosene, furnace oil and firewood.

t the Meru GK Prison in Meru County, human waste from an estimated 1,200 inmates and 300 staff members is being used to generate enough biogas to power the prison’s kitchen and those of staff members.Today, thousands of rural households in Kenya plan to or have already installed biogas plants due to the availability of livestock and kitchen waste.

The Government of Kenya is continuing to promote biogas and seeks to see more than 8,000 bio digesters in different parts of Nairobi and thousands of other in the rural areas.

According to Kenya biogas feasibility study Promoting Biogas Systems in Kenya;A feasibility study in October 2007, Mr. Tim Hutchinson built the first biogas digester in Kenya in 1957. This provided all of the gas and fertiliser that his coffee farm needed. He found the effluent (or “sludge”) an excellent fertiliser and that its application to his coffee trees greatly improved productivity. In 1958, he started constructing biogas digesters commercially, marketing the effluent as the main product with biogas as a useful by-product.

Between 1960 and 1986, Hutchinson’s company (called Tunnel Engineering Ltd.) sold more than 130 small biogas units and 30 larger units all over the country. Hutchinson biogas digesters (some still working after fifty years) can be found in various parts of Kenya. Despite the great potential biogas offers hindrances to adoption of biogas include high cost of installing the systems, lack of capacity to install high volumes of biogas, systems failure, inadequate lack of installation support and poor management and maintenance, inadequate technology or lack of technology awareness, scarce or fragmented promotion .

One UN report has commented that sanitation should be made as attractive as mobile phones. World Trade Organisation says toilets should be revolutionized to become as attractive as mobile phones.  What is it about mobile phones and in Kenya Mobile banking (M-pesa) that sanitation can borrow as sanitation services  at different levels are used by the more than 40 million Kenyans?  Safaricom’s m-pesa currently has some 17 million subscribers, with an estimated reach of 38 per cent of the adult population with 45,540 agents countrywide. Some of the Mpesa lines belong to various institutions, i.e companies, schools, churches etc.   What do you think are the parallels between toilets and mobile phones that can enable greater investment by communities in  sanitation services especially value added toilets!

The World Surely is flat

When Thomas Friedmans wrotes in his book the World is Flat about how the world is connecting, he did not imagine that the world will join so profoundly in mourning with the American people over the deaths of 20 children and six teachers in a US school massacre as well as for the mother of the culprit and for the culprit.  Condolences have flowed from all over the world signifying that what happens in America is not just and incident in a far away land. As Obama shed tears and committed to see an end to such incidents, many Kenyans shed a tear or two for those families. 

Rwanda's Rulindo District makes great strides in Ensuring Access to water for all in the region

 

Rwanda is making great strides in several areas including improving access to water and sanitation for its citizens as demonstrated in Rulindo district

Water remains a precious and sometimes scarce commodity the world over. This was the case a few years ago with Rulindo district, (one of the districts of Rwanda, North of Kigali) which was ranked at the bottom in terms of access to water and sanitation services, but this is slowly becoming a distant memory as hope for all residents to enjoy the precious commodity slowly becomes reality. 

Rulindo is one of the two districts (alongside Kicukiro) assigned to Water For People when it started its work in Rwanda in 2008. Rulindo occupies an area of 567 km2 and has a total population of approximately 285,000 people. The district is composed of steep hills and valleys, and is divided into 17 sectors, which are further divided into 71 cells and 494 villages (known locally as imidugudu).

According to Water For People Project Manager D Eugene, three sectors out of the 17 sectors of Rulindo have made great progress towards finalizing water supply systems under the project.  One of these, the Kisaro sector water supply system, has water flowing to 28 communities and over 17,000 people.  Water systems in Ntarabana and Burega sectors are now reaching 25 communities with safe drinking water. In Shyorongi and Ngoma, feasibility studies for water supply have been completed and tender processes are being finalized. Feasibility and design studies for the 14 other sectors are underway. 

Access to drinking water in Rulindo has so far surpassed the national average at 78 percent compared to the Rwanda national figure of 71 per cent (MIS July 2012) while the national sanitation coverage is 55 per cent according JMPUNICEF/WHO).

One of the tanks built in collaboration with Water For people in Rulindo

 

One of the tanks built in collaboration with Water For people in Rulindo

The district’s Mayor is pleased by what has been achieved so far: "What has been achieved in just a few years after emerging from war is great," says Rulindo Mayor Justus Kangwage whose district was recently ranked 11^th in terms of water and sanitation coverage amongst Rwanda’s districts. 

Kangwage called for greater leadership at the local district level urging the Executive Secretaries of sectors to hold meetings at decentralized levels to ensure that every person in the district understood the Rulindo challenge as well as the concept of Everyone Forever - including those sectors where the programme had yet to be implemented. The Rulindo Challenge and the Everyone Forever program are the operational concepts being used to promote water and sanitation by Water For People in collaboration with its partners in Rwanda.



Different types of water systems that have been put up in different parts of Rulindo to improve the water supply

The efforts to improve the districts’ water and sanitation services received a major boost when stakeholders in a meeting in Rulindo district came up with key resolutions, aimed at ensuring 100 percent coverage of water and sanitation by 2016.  “The Government of Rwanda has committed itself to an ambitious and elaborate goal to have 100 percent access to drinking water and sanitation services by the year 2020,” according to Ms. Jose Mukanyamwasa, at the National Policy & Strategy for Water Supply and Sanitation Services.  Access to water ranges within the sectors with Buyoga enjoying 95.2 per cent coverage while Rukizo has 47.5 per cent access.

 

Several approaches being used by Water For People in collaboration with key stakeholders to promote access to water and sanitation under the Everyone Forever Initiative, in Rulindo, Rwanda were also unanimously adopted by key stakeholders from the sector at a meeting at Shyorongi in Rulindo.   The meeting was called to discuss progress of the Rulindo Challenge, a project on water services and business opportunities, utilizing Akvo FLOW as a monitoring tool to track progress over time. It was recommended that the current MIS (Management Information System) and Akvo FLOW be harmonized and that the district will buy android phones to facilitate monitoring and evaluation using Akvo FLOW.

The Rulindo Challenge Program Partners’ Workshop Achievements, Challenges and Way Forward that took place between 28-29 November 2012, at Shyorongi, Rulindo, brought together the Rulindo district Mayor, Rulindo vice Mayors, Ministries of infrastructure, education, health, natural resources, relevant units in Rulindo district, sector executive secretaries Rwanda Utility and Regulatory Agency as well as Water for People staff.  Several challenges were identified as major hindrances to the water and sanitation projects including the issue of the management of rural water supply infrastructure; lack of operation and maintenance funds; and high water tariff in rural areas.

James Sano, Deputy Director General of Energy Water and Sanitation Authority (EWSA), noted that the government had put in place a budget line for the Rulindo challenge urging participants to come up with concrete actions rather than dwell on what had been achieved. Sano said the timing of the meeting was good as it provided an opportunity to leverage for funding for the next fiscal year.

DDG of EWSA Mr. SANO James, Rulindo District Mayor Mr. KANGWAGE Justus and WFP Country Director Ms KAMUYUMBU Perpetue

 James Sano, Deputy Director General of Energy Water and Sanitation Authority (EWSA), noted that the government had put in place a budget line for the Rulindo challenge urging participants to come up with concrete actions rather than dwell on what had been achieved. Sano said the timing of the meeting was good as it provided an opportunity to leverage for funding for the next fiscal year.

A market-based approach (called Sanitation as a Business (SAAB)) to sustainable sanitation was recommended to all administrative sectors. An inventory of all unimproved latrines will be done by the end of December 2012 after which a meeting putting together representatives of SACCOs, Executive Secretaries of Sectors, representatives of relevant department at district level, EWSA, Water For People and Boundless (Business Development Services Provider) will discuss in detail quick actions that need to be undertaken so as to improve sanitation conditions at household level through SAAB.

It was recommended to facilitate the formation of water private operators cooperatives which will take care of social considerations and have the required skills set. A water tariff structure was also called for so that the district has a basis by which to negotiate the tariff with the service providers. Current water management systems through private operators wer found to be a good management model, but some improvements are still needed to ensure everyone is happy with the services delivered by the service providers.  To improve the situation of hygiene and sanitation, community-based environmental Health Promotion Programme (CBEHPP), consisting of hygiene and environmental clubs, will operate in Kicukiro and Rulindo.  

The Rwanda Natural Resources department in collaboration with Rulindo District will carry out a rapid assessment on the water resource available in the district to address the unknown quantity and quality of water in Rulindo which had been identified as a major challenge in the district.

Some of the sanitation facilities that require intervention

Some of the sanitation facilities that require intervention

According to Perpetue Kamuyumba, County Director for Water For People – Rwanda, Everyone Forever is Water For People’s initiative whereby the organisation works with other WASH sector players to create a world where women and children are relieved of the burden of walking kilometers to the nearest water source and girls are no longer forced to abandon education to collect water or due to inadequate sanitation. Kamuyumba, added that by ”Everyone”  the organization “seeks to see that every family, every school, and every clinic in the areas we work, has access to improved water and sanitation before we rest, or move to a new place."

 “Forever,” she added, means “we look beyond the work of installing hardware-tanks, pipes, pumps, and latrines, and focus on building local knowledge and institutional systems that support water and sanitation services always.”

 

The participants hailed the Eco san toilets and expressed that they were cost effective as well as sustainable and would be widely adopted by the sectors of Rulindo district.  Eco San, which is an ecological toilet, is a urine-diverting system toilet where feaces are separated from urine and reused as fertilizers.

An Eco San toilet

Urine is separated from the feaces chamber. Addition of ash and or saw dust is regularly poured to minimize odor and moisture. When the first chamber is full, users pull the dried materials to the second chamber and allow it to rest for at least 1-4 months. They then remove the material and store it for 3 to 4 month to stabilize. This mass is thereafter used as fertilizer to grow crops.

In promoting sanitation as a business, Musoni Vincent Patrick, Managing Director of Boundless Consultancy Group (BCG), said, “We have managed to recruit and train seven interested local entrepreneurs working in construction of pit latrines (ECOSAN) and 2 sludge emptiers on different latrine types and pit emptying technologies.” Musoni added that they had developed bankable business plans for local entrepreneurs working in latrine construction and emptying and were able to link entrepreneurs to banks for loan facilities.

Eco - san toilets whose processed waste products are used as manure for farming

Eco - san toilets whose processed waste products are used as manure for farming

hus it seems that very soon if everything remains constant, all residents of Rulindo will have access to a nearby water system, sanitation facilities, and there will be money in the pockets of more people through the sanitation businesses as well as cash or savings from agriculture from the manure from the sanitation facilities.

                ***********************************************************