Mr. Simon Byuma, the Head teacher of Kitemu Parents primary school had this to say to COMASA project staff during a follow up visit.

This school started in 1998 and is located in Kakiri Sub-county. By that time the school had only 7 teachers and 51 pupils; 34 boys and 17 girls from Primary one (1) to Primary five (5). The water and sanitation situation was so pathetic that it discouraged both teachers and pupils to attend classes daily. This affected school performance negatively.

The school had only one (1) latrine stance shared by all people at the school. Accessing clean water was a big problem because the school had no water point around. Children used to walk long distances, that is, two kilometers away from school in search of clean water to be used for cooking porridge. Since this was mainly done by pupils, it negatively affected their studies.

When it came to personal hygiene among the pupils, they used to have long finger nails filled with dirt, long unkempt hair which had lice, jiggers in their feet and very dirty uniforms. The school compound was always bushy.

The pupils used to suffer so much during the rainy season because the latrine floor used to be filled with loitering maggots. During break time, the situation worsened as pupils used to fight for latrine use. Some resorted to ease themselves in bushy areas which had a bad smell and polluted the whole school environment and the passers by (community) did not like it.

After COMASA’s intervention in our area, my school community is living a happiest moment in life. It was all joy when COMASA intervened and everything changed. Life became more interesting to us. “What a resurrection”, narrates Simon.
Through sensitization awareness, trainings, demonstrations, exchange visits, and formation of school health clubs, a positive change has come up in our school. For example; we were able to realize how to use locally available materials to construct hygiene and sanitation facilities that could be used at all times.
As a school, we got to know the dangers of poor hygiene and sanitation. We access clean water which is not far away. Sanitation has totally improved with provision of a VIP 5-stanced latrine.

Presently as I speak, I am so happy because the school enrollment increased to a total of 385 pupils; 208 boys and 177 girls; and 12 teachers; 7 males and 5 females. We have now added two more class levels; Primary six (6) and Primary seven (7). And now I have a fully completed primary section.

My school now acts as a model school where other school pupils come to learn because of its set up that is; a well built VIP latrine with pictorial messages which attracts mainly young children, a “very” big rain water harvesting tank, educative messages around the school compound and improved personal hygiene among the pupils.

In addition, COMASA provided us with operation and maintenance training so as to sustain the structures put in place. COMASA has done a great job for us and has brought a positive change to our lives.

I do appeal to all of you to partner with COMASA as they strive to assist other schools with water and sanitation issues. Do check out our project for Katiti and Bukondo Primary schools in Nakyerongosa Village.