Edith Bajanga, head teacher of the Nawangisa primary school in Iganga, Uganda
Nawangisa Primary School Where Walking For Water Presented Hidden Dangers
The Nawangisa Primary School in Iganga, Uganda urgently needed a water well according to the head teacher Edith Bajanga.
Without a clean water source, Nawangisa only had two options. The first was a community borehole and the second a local swamp. Edith went to the local community and asked if her students could use the well. The community agreed, but there were two issues. The large population, meant the lines for water were long and students would miss valuable school time while waiting.
The path to the swamp was overgrown and desolate. Edith felt uneasy and was nervous about the safety of her female students. Rural Uganda is not always a safe place for teenage girls and she was scared that something bad would happen while they were out fetching water.
“I told the students to always stay in groups when walking to and from the swamp. I didn’t want anything to happen to them to them”, says Esther.
But as long as the children were walking to the swamp, Edith would be nervous about their safety. The water from the swamp was not clean and children started complaining about stomach aches. Some started developing rashes on their bodies.
When the Africa water charity Drop in the Bucket first visited the Nawangisa Primary School, we immediately knew that this school would be a good candidate for a well.
Edith was relieved after being approached by a representative from Drop in the Bucket. “When they came and told me they were going to drill a well at Nawangisa, I was overjoyed” “Thank you for this borehole you have given us. All of the fear I was living with every day suddenly went away”.
“This borehole has saved us from going to the swamp. Thank you very much.”
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