WASH component of European Union -Trust Fund for the Support Programme to the Refugee Settlements and Host Communities in Northern Uganda.

The Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Water and Environment and The European Union secured funds under the European Union Trust Fund for the Support Programme to the Refugee Settlements and Host Communities in Northern Uganda (SPRS-NU)-Wash Component.
The “WASH” Component project contributes to a larger project aiming to improve food security, nutrition and livelihoods of the refugee population in Northern Uganda as well as their host communities. The specific outcome of the WASH component is to ensure sustainable access to safe water and improve the environmental sanitation conditions in the targeted communities. The programme targets the refugee settlements and host communities in the refugee hosting districts of Northern Uganda which includes Adjumani, Arua, Yumbe and Kiryandongo.
Austrian Development Agency was contracted as a fund manager by the EUTF for the WASH Component which is being implemented by the Ministry’s deconcentrated unit WSDF-N based in Lira.
 
Under the project;
·         8 piped water supply systems will be rehabilitated or expanded and one Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant with sustainable Operation and Maintenance Structures,
·         sanitation awareness campaigns will be conducted
·         implementation of water source protection measures,
·         Water for Production concept paper to identify opportunities & constraints for the development of Water for Production infrastructure will be developed.
 
The direct project beneficiaries are 145,852 people, including both refugees and their host communities in Ranch I Settlement in Kiryandongo district, 3 settlements of Ofua III, Omugo and Olujobo/Tika in Rhino camp, Arua district,  3 settlements of Ayilo II, Nyumanzi and Alere, in Adjumani district and lastly Bidibidi Zone (V) refugee settlement in Yumbe district .
 
The project is being implemented in close coordination with the institutions in charge of settlement management; Office of the Prime Minister, UNHCR and Emergency Relief Agencies.
 
This week, the ADC country office team led by Mr Guenter Engelits- Country Director carried out a field supervision and monitoring mission of the EU-TF project activities being implemented by WSDF-N. The team paid a courtesy call to WSDF-N office in Lira then proceeded to the various sites. Findings from the visits were;
1-In Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement (Ranch 1) construction progress is at 75%, Nyumanzi Refugee Settlement construction progress is 60% while Alere refugee settlement work is at 40%. D-Production wells were drilled in all the settlements and Procurement of the Contractors to undertake construction works in Ofua III, Omugo VI and Olujobu/Tika is at final stage.