HYT has built ten 20,000 litre rainwater harvesting tanks in the world’s second largest refugee settlement. The tanks will service over 22,000 teachers, students, doctors, nurses and patients.
During our 2019 partnership with Mercy Corps it became clear there was a need to increase water access and security. Despite the area receiving 9 months of heavy rain a year, residents struggle for water. The daily per capita supply can fall below 10 litres. In the settlement the piped water runs for a couple hours each day delivering safe water through shared taps.
Rainwater harvesting has huge potential to improve access to water. A single HYT rainwater harvesting system in Bidi Bidi can supply up to 240,000 litres of safe water per year.
HYT’s water tanks are constructed using locally made Interlocking Stabilised Soil Blocks (ISSB) which are more durable and cost effective than available alternatives.
Working closely with the government, UNHCR and NGO partners; HYT identified 7 schools and 3 hospitals in the settlement in urgent need of rainwater harvesting. The UNHCR and government have been extremely helpful and interested in the implementation of this project.
Using our tested train as you build methodology, HYT employed 10 new trainees to learn the ins and outs of tank construction. Many of the new trainees have experience building simple structures in the settlement and took to the work very well. In addition, our refugee graduates from the 2019 Mercy Corps training are going from strength to strength and will be snapping up management positions soon.
A massive thank you to our donors, partners, UNHCR and Ugandan Government colleagues for helping bring this project to life.
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