BILU Uganda launches water harvesting project

BILU Uganda, an NGO, in Kiboga district, that champions the mission of sustainable development by initiating programs, focused on health, education, water and agriculture is calling for government support in availing safe and cheap water to communities in Lwamata Sub County.

This amid concerns that communities are forced to suspend activities due to the absence of water

Dr. Shay Pintov Kirabo, the CEO, BILU Uganda, made the appeal during the launch of the 40,000litre, rainwater harvesting project.

“We thought to give the community cheaper and safer water because they are paying 600 shillings per jerry can and we are providing them to pay only 200 shillings. They built this structure all by their own without any money support from us save for the nails, carts, the roof and tanks plus an expert in water harvesting that was trained in Israel with support from Israeli aid, Mashav.”

“Joining together we are now starting the second stage which is collecting of 500 to 600 cubic metres in order to support safe water for all the community and the remainder to develop an advanced food security farm which will introduce unique species of plants”, Shay added.

During the launch, the district water officer, Walakira Moses, revealed that they had sought assistance from the ministry to power the borehole in order to be able to feed the whole community.

On his part the district production officer, Ssebulime Godfrey, noted that promoting micro irrigation would go a long way to improve food security and also offer a training centre that will gather all farmers in the area.

Relatedly, Engineer Moses Kawamala who was tailoring and superintending the rain water harvesting structures disclosed that the next phase will target a collection of 24000 litres from neighbouring districts but in total they were targeting a maximum of 300,000 litres and a pond that will supply water to the one acre farm land for production.

The Chief Guest, State Minister of Water and Environment, Aisha Sekindi, who was represented by, Isaac Sekindi, a personal assistant, pledged to work with the project and that she was impressed by the rainfall model.

Currently BILU has started teaching the community in partnership with the local cooperative of bee keepers on how to make beehives which will improve the harvesting through pollination and secondly, create additional income for farmers.

With the support of SBC-Uganda, for the past five years, BILU Uganda has been able to bring in lots of volunteers and embark on many projects in health and expanding their activities to Kyankwanzi and Hoima districts.

Mulisa Amos, the Public Relations Officer of SBC- Uganda Limited, part sponsors of the organization appealed to the residents of Nsala, Bulaga, Kanyogoga, Buyongo, Nsokwa, Nakazibi and Ntondo, not to vandalize the water harvesting project.