Oduku Community (Nwoya) — Borehole Well & VSLA

Project Snapshot

Location: Oduku village, Paminyai Sub-County, Nwoya District, northern Uganda
Community: Oduku
Users Served: Community members in Oduku (Nwoya District)
Intervention: Drilled borehole well with hand pump and established a Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA)
Status: Completed

Before the well

Safe water on-site was not available. Households in Oduku relied on distant and unsafe water sources, often spending hours each day collecting water for drinking, cooking, and washing. The time burden fell heavily on women and girls and increased the risk of water-related illness.

What We Built in Oduku village

Drop in the Bucket drilled a community borehole well and installed a standard hand pump with a reinforced concrete apron and upgraded stainless-steel riser pipes. The well was sited to provide safe, central access for households across the village.

Alongside the water project, Drop in the Bucket helped establish a Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA). The VSLA gives community members a structured way to save small amounts of money and access loans when needed.

Oduku now

Clean water is now available within the village for daily use, reducing the time spent collecting water and improving household health. Women and girls can spend more time on school, work, and family responsibilities.

The VSLA strengthens the impact of the water project by helping the community plan financially. Savings and small loans allow the Water User Committee to cover routine repairs and preventative maintenance, helping keep the well functional year after year.

Use & Upkeep

A Water User Committee oversees daily use and cleanliness of the borehole. Trained local hand pump technicians handle first-line maintenance and coordinate with sub-county and district authorities when additional support is required.

The VSLA is managed by community members who follow agreed rules, track contributions and repayments, and maintain savings that can be used for water system upkeep and other household needs.

Notes

Type: Borehole well with hand pump (community) and Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA)
Primary users: Households in Oduku, Nwoya District
Sustainability: VSLA supports repairs and preventative maintenance of the water point
Hygiene: Keep the apron clear; encourage handwashing at home and public points
Related: See water facts for why replacing unsafe sources with boreholes matters.