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1Busoga BugleSpring 2023

22023 - A Year of Destiny for Busoga TrustWhy? Because most rural Africans rely on boreholes and wells for their clean water. Yet Busoga Trust has learned that the “international community” is now “moving on” from handpumped water because of a collective failure to achieve long term functionality. Over 50% of handpumps, not ours, are generally non-functional in rural Africa. The new plan of the “international community” is to pump water from deep boreholes by submersible solarpowered pumps into overhead tanks from which the water will then ow by gravity through pipes to stands with taps. These are accessible to local people at a cost. To Busoga Trust it seems bizarre to move from a simple technology to a more sophisticated one when the problem has been a failure to maintain the simple one. Electric Pumps also breakdown, solar power is less reliable than muscle power, and cool, clean water pumped up into overhead tanks gets warm and needs to be chlorinated and such expensive facilities are only ever likely to reach the minority who live near trading centres rather than the majority who live in far ung rural areas. Uganda has 20,000 non-functioning boreholes. These were well drilled but poorly maintained, so there is plenty of reachable ground water not being harvested. Yet, as the United Nations recently pronounced, the world is running out of fresh water. To give up handpumps in Uganda by blaming the failure to maintain them on local people is unfair. They never had a chance. Because the same “international community” supplied these rural boreholes with mostly galvanised iron (GI) parts. Yet, they must have known (as Busoga Trust knew, hence our use of the Consallen pump which does not rust) that GI rusts in Uganda’s volcanic waters in 2 -3 years. The local people soon found the cost of constant repairs beyond their capacity. In the legal systems of our developed world, they would have a case for damages on account of gross negligence. But for these people there is no hope of justice in this life. They are being tossed onto the ash heap of history. In Uganda that is the fate for 10 million rural people today, that is unless Busoga Trust or others stand by them. So far, we have restored about From the Editor

31,200 handpumped boreholes using best quality stainless steel parts which do not rust. Each community also benets from Busoga Trust’s full WASHBET package (water, sanitation, hygiene, bees and trees). We have a motivated and accomplished team of nearly 100 full time Ugandan staff who have proved their worth and their commitment since April 2020 when the pandemic struck. This year 2023, Busoga Trust is on course to prove that our programme for long term functionality (Payment By Results) is working. The crucial ingredient is trust because Busoga Trust has stayed the course for 40 years in Uganda and not kept “moving on”. We have built relationships with both local communities and local ofcials who generally have a good opinion of Busoga Trust. Our services are in constant demand. By the end of this year we expect to have demonstrated long term functionality for rural handpumped water. For what better or more worthwhile challenge could we ask? “A man’s reach should exceed his grasp or what’s a heaven for?” (Robert Browning). We can only achieve this with the backing and support of our superb donors. Thank you so much!Andrew Pearson(Cover: This is what our technical team do every day because Busoga Trust rehabilitates at least one borehole daily, currently 36 per month. Here is our technical team showing their commitment and pride as they install new stainless steel pipes and cylinders at Wankere water source in Mpigi district. Another community whose health and life prospects are being transformed. Photo by: Emma Mwesigwa)

4In the SpotlightDan Mulaavu - Chief Engineer, LuweroMeet Patrick. It is easy to forget what his dedication as a handpump mechanic since the early 90s to maintain boreholes and wells has meant to many local communities and we at Busoga Trust treasure him and others like him who are helping us achieve long term functionality of boreholes. Thanks Patrick for your dedication!Dan has a heart for those who struggle. Whether it is being the rst person to welcome blind Peter to the ED’s Luwero dinner party, or the last to leave a community after nishing the work on their well or other much needed facilities. Before Dan came to Patrick Mugaga - Handpump MechanicMusa is a hands on manager who often visits his team in the eld to monitor their progress. He always submits his weekly report on time. It is invariably comprehensive and very clear about expenditure. Personally, he is positive, friendly and creative, always happy to see you. Good management in rural Africa is hard to come by, yet vital for success so we are lucky with Musa. Musa SentongoWinnie known as “The Boxer” never hesitates to confront village people who no longer use their pump with the demand to reclaim the parts for her stores thus saving BT shed loads of money. Winnie is generalissimo of all BT pump stores, a responsibility you can only give someone whom you really trust. Just like the sun rules the day, Winnie rules the BT stores! However, despite her nickname, Winnie is full of smiles and friendliness. Just make sure you behave yourself! Winnie - The Cautious KeeperLuwero the ED used to say he seldom saw a good well. After he came, the ED never saw a bad one.

5Outputs: October 2022 - April 2023Outputs Total (#)Borehole Rehabs 176Shallow Hand Dug Well Rehabs 37Domestic Latrines 8,073Handwashing Facilities 7,032Trees Planted 5,054Beehives Distributed 192Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) Workshops 137MHM Workshop Participants 4,956Map to show the location of all water source rehabilitations from October 2022 - April 2023

6In rural development “top down” means deciding what would be good for poor people and imposing it on them. The “international community” has been pretty good at that. It has resulted in many white elephants and non-functioning interventions. “Bottom up” means working with local communities to understand what their priorities and felt needs are. You can then hope to come up with workable solutions that meet people’s real needs. Two examples of success in this approach for BT recently have been Menstrual Hygiene Management training and Satopans. There has been a huge uptake of MHM among women and girls, as well as for Satopans across the board. Also, the fruit tree planting project and the beehive project were the direct results of local initiatives. Again the demand is high. When it comes to our agship project, the PBR, there is a universal sense of need for boreholes to keep functioning. It is a life and death crisis. By working closely with local communities, BT is seeing them become the key drivers of their own development. In the words of Johnson Waibi, BT’s Country Manager, “The bottom up approach cracks the enigma code of sustainability”. Or as Shakespeare might’ve said: “Top down or bottom up? That is the question!”Top Down or Bottom Up?BT’S WASHBET (Water, Sanitation, Bees & Trees) illustrates what “Bottom Up” means in practice.

7The demand for water is universal and nevermore so than in rural Africa. Better sanitation is a big challenge in rural Uganda. A recent breakthrough has been the introduction of the “satopan”, which admits faeces and ies and smells into the pit below and bars their exit. This is a huge boost to disease control in rural compounds. “My pride is my latrine!” Says 65 year old Moses Dhikuska from Iganga District. “What a difference BT has brought with the satopan and the hard washable oor! All those foul smells, those dirty ies and the messy oor which together brought us disease have been banished!” 1. WATERMeet little Kato from Kirega village in Mpigi district! He could not stop smiling after Busoga Trust had repaired his borehole. His mother said that every time it broke down Kato would cry because he couldn’t see water owing from the borehole. Now as he collects safe, clean water for his mother and for himself his face is full of smiles! In the words of St. Francis “Thou owing water pure and clear, make music for thy Lord to hear! Hallelujah, hallelujah!”2. SANITATION

8Women and girls who cannot afford sanitary pads are exposed to dangerous infections. When BT took MHM training out to the villages the response was overwhelming. Traditionally, MHM was only for girls. Busoga Trust however is blazing a trail of gender inclusivity. Busoga Trust trains boys alongside girls thus breaking down taboos which made girls feel very uncomfortable during their periods. Boys now adopt a more mature attitude and show compassion and support for the girls. Everywhere MHM has been a huge success.WASHBET (Continued)3. HYGIENEBT never expected to be assisting bee farming. Our staff requested this innovation because they saw the whole ecosystem and biodiversity was undermined by deforestation and soil erosion. 4. BEES(RIght: A farmer collects his new beehive and is excited to start making honey!)

9The request for tree planting also came from our Ugandan staff.Everybody knows that trees are our friends and we need to plant lots more of them. We love them because of the shade they give and because of the oxygen they give, because of the soil erosion they prevent and the way they protect water courses which are so important for wells and boreholes. Trees also provide valuable timber for furniture and houses. Moreover, wonderful fruit trees in Uganda can be laden with cashew nuts and avocados as well as oranges, lemons and mangos which are a source of good income and nutrition.Despite this Uganda has seen so many precious trees cut down for charcoal in order to satisfy the hunger of urban areas for energy. The tree trajectory of Uganda needs to be reversed. Responding to the demand from local people BT has so far developed four tree nurseries where young seedlings can mature under the watchful eye of BT caretakers, when they grow we sell them on at subsidised prices to responsible members of local communities for them to grow in their gardens. We have been cautious because we want to get this right and not lose trees because of drought or ignorance. Since the middle of last July BT has provided 13,500 trees at subsidised prices. The demand is growing and this is another exciting project included in our WASHBET package and is very much a response to the expressed needs of local people and therefore “bottom up”.5. TREES

10Handling cash and collecting savings for water source maintenance is a problem among rural communities. The PBR (Payment By Results) programme is meeting these challenges and ensuring prompt repair of any borehole breakdown. Meet Robert, 54 year old Chairperson of Kitatya C borehole in Kayunga district “Busoga Trust has empowered my community through the PBR to take charge of our own destiny! No more helpless suffering! Now we can make sure that our borehole will work indenitely through our regular banked savings and our on call WSP (Water Service Provider)! Thank you Busoga Trust, you’ve empowered our community!” Complemented Robert as he received receipts from BT staff.The Risk BT Staff Take When Working In The BushOn this 10th May 2023, on their way home from working in the bush in Mpigi district, four BT staff were travelling on murram roads in very heavy rains. They came to a 100 metre causeway (or elevated stretch of road) which crosses swamp. 1 hour after they had crossed over safely, the ooding was so intense that this road bridge was washed away. Had our team been crossing then they would almost certainly have been swept away and have perished in the ood water. Thanks be to God they arrived home safely. Recently, the rainfall in Uganda has been unusually heavy after a very dry spell last year. The PBR: The Holy Grail of Development

11Meet 93 year old Christina! Clean water touches every age group, but most of all the very young and the very old. Christina worried much when she had to trek long distances to collect just a little water, all she could carry. Now her wrinkled face is lled with smiles! “No more worries and I expect that the borehole will keep functioning now due to the PBR”. The West worships “celebrities” probably more than it worships God. In the glare of our modern media, they shine so brightly we call them “stars”, stars of sport, especially football, of pop music, lms, and fashion, and people who are “famous for being famous”. Until they say or do the wrong thing when they are “cancelled” by our ruthless “woke” culture.In Uganda, there is another kind of celebrity which the Bugle celebrates today. These are men, women and children of all ages, mostly very poor, who show great courage in adversity. All their lives have been a struggle to survive, and they have nothing in this world. But what they have is an unconquerable spirit by which they have deed the odds of their existence. Today, the Busoga Bugle salutes some of these true “celebrities”!Meet Some True Celebrities!Meet Joachim, a 64-year-father of six children. At the age of 2, he was attacked by a strange disease that weakened and crippled both his legs, forcing him to use a wheelchair. “The borehole is now soft and easy to pump for the children and disabled people like me,” he said. “Unlike before when you would have to use a lot of force to pump and more time to ll a jerrycan with water. Thank you, Busoga Trust, for making my life better.”

12Mzee Naudo of Kayunga enjoyed being trained in her old age and says it is fun using this hand washing facility. She says “All the time I stayed on earth, not sure how long, noone gave us oldies a chance to learn new tricks! Thanks to Busoga Trust for including us oldies in your work!” Can you imagine what it’s like for Ruth aged 13 and Jane aged 11 from Lwit, Jinja District. Since their borehole broke down, Ruth pushes four 20 litre jerry cans on her bike more than 1km and Jane pushes 3 jerry cans (60 litres) on her bike and understandably they say “we are more than happy to see BT come to our rescue!” Jane is 80 years old and lives with her brother. A married woman, she ed her home because being without child her husband and his family abused, insulted and even tried to poison her. Now Jane lives in her brother’s house and does all the household chores including collecting water from the borehole:“I’m lucky at this age, I’m still strong and doing work myself. Having a water source that functions well means a lot to me”, she said. “It means I will spend less of my little energy and time collecting water to keep myself and home clean. Thank you, Busoga Trust for supporting us!”Meet Some True Celebrities! (Continued)

13Imagine the burden carried by Rose, headteacher at St Mary’s Primary School in Mpigi District. For 6 years she has presided over school children who have suffered from a non functional borehole. They have had to wake up at the crack of dawn and move 4 kilometers to the nearest safe water source where the queues were long so that they either missed their lessons or fetched from the open Three Children Drown in Lake Victoria Fetching Water Because Their Borehole is BrokenThese families will never forget the cost they paid when their borehole broke down! It was a priceless cost! Three lovely children drowned in the lake. “When we heard that BT had come we wished you had come earlier! You see you are saving lives!” Says Juliet (blue dress) to Winifred from BT.69 Years Old Edith with 5 children and 9 grandchildren from Mbale village, Mpigi district remembers:“I was hit so badly in 2013 when I lost my husband. I felt I’d lost my world in the blink of an eye. Being a widow I had to do all I could to nd school fees for my children by farming and that depended on the rains. Then our borehole broke down and I had to walk three kilometers and pay 2,000 shillings each time to collect clean water from another village. All my little money had gone.” But now Edith’s borehole is pumping again and her life has renewed hope and happiness. (Having tested this water from Lake Victoria, BT found it is highly contaminated.) ponds, but then diarrhoea stalks the school. Either way the children lose precious schooling. They are exhausted and their concentration is poor. “We had lost hope!” Says Rose, “However, Busoga Trust came to our rescue! Our students drink clean water from our own borehole! Their performance is improving and we will soon become one of the best institutions in Kamenga Sub County thanks to Busoga Trust”.

14Goodbye Pond Water - Hello Clean Water!Harriet Nakinga lives in Bumbo village and is a mother of 5. Our team recently interviewed her on what life was like before Busoga Trust came and rehabilitated her village borehole:“It has been more than three years of suffering drinking stinking dirty pond water ever since our borehole broke down. We were spending every coin we earn in hospitals treating typhoid, dysentery, and diarrhoea; this has led to deterioration in our health and the economic growth of our families. Some community members and young children do open defecation especially around the pond which ends up in the pond on rainy days,” Harriet recalled. (Above: The dirty pond Harriet collected water from before the rehabilitation took place.)(Left: Bumbo borehole before rehabilitation - it didn’t provide a drop of water for three years. Right: Bumbo borehole after rehabilitation - now providing clean, safe water to the the entire community.)

15A “thank you” to all our donors: The Guilty of GivingWe blame you for extendingThe source of life to us.Imagine boreholes which are vesselsof clean water in our compounds!For the citizens to draw irresistibly.We shan’t forgive you;For behaving like Moses in the Bible.Doctors, we believe, save a life butClean water saves a population.Water, they say, is life, without itDehydration leaves you lifeless.Neither shall we ever excuse youFor distributing meticulous Sato pansMoreover at such a subsidized cost!We even wonder how you gainFrom saving us the irritating odourof the pit latrines,the nagging sound of the houseies,and also the discomfort of squattingon a lthy looking pit latrine!Though you are guilty of selessing giving back to the less priveleged population you have remembered that Jesus said: “Give and it will be given unto you!”By: Geofrey KwanikirizaIT Support Busoga Trust

All rehabilitations and new wells come with the full “WASHBET” package, which includes sanitation, hygiene, bees and trees, and community enrolment into the PBR programme.