Week 6 - Public Health Firsthand

From the several public health classes I have taken, I have heard and read about what goes into a public health project, and this week I got to see what such a project looks like firsthand. Below are a few of the lessons that I saw put into action.

Lesson 1: Choosing a project that is relevant to the specific community

Many people in Mulabana use water from Lake Victoria and a small pond for drinking, cooking, and bathing water. Often these people become sick after using this water because it is highly contaminated. As Joel and several community members explained, fecal matter from shallow pit latrines and from defecation in places other than latrines ends up in the lake and pond, especially after it rains. Because they do not have a source for safe drinking, cooking, and bathing water, the installation of a water line to the community was a relevant project for the people of Mulabana.

Lesson 2: Community involvement

Much of the groundwork for the project had been done ahead of time by Joel. He was responsible for getting the proper approvals and speaking with the community about the project. He came to Mulabana at least five times to make sure that the people of the village were informed and invested in the project.

Lesson 3: Sustainability

By involving the community members in the project from the beginning, Joel ensured that they would take ownership of the project. This ownership would lead to the ready use and maintenance of the water system. The people receiving water understood that there would be a small fee for getting water from the tap and that this small fee would be used to pay for the treatment process. Furthermore, the community members dug the trench for the new pipe and agreed to become caretakers of the pump. It was important that they did not just see the water as simply a gift.

Overall, working on this project was quite rewarding. It was truly amazing to see water flowing after working on the project for just three days. Of course, Joel has been working on the project for much longer, and I know this is what made everything possible. I really hope that the people in Mulabana use the clean water and maintain the system.

Location: Mulabana, Kalagala District, Ssese Islands