Mrs. Kajule Betty, a member of Katosi Women Fishing and Development Association has demonstrated determination to overcome shortcomings in her life and took on tasks that many of her colleagues were excluded from, due to their lack of education. Formerly a chairperson of the group, she relinquished power to the next leader in a democratic process and took on leadership as a WASH committee member. She is responsible for the overall monitoring and status of access to water, sanitation and hygiene in the community. This role motivated her to join the Women Advocacy Committee (WAC) to advocate for improvement in service delivery in WASH, whilst attending local council meetings. As a member of the WASH committee, she is responsible for training communities on good hygiene and sanitation practices and training Water User and Sanitation Committees on their roles and responsibility to maintain WASH facilities. She also promotes the use of bio sand water filters, a biological water filtration low-cost technology method, appropriate in rural and fisher communities and schools. She is also one of the skilled masons constructing bio sand water filters. She is locally known as a WASH champion.

Betty has overcome barriers to transform behavioural change in rural and fisher communities through training and is an ardent promotor of appropriate technologies. As one of the 4 female bio sand masons, a job culturally ascribed to men, she has promoted use of the bio sand filter in schools and households. She has trained households on the use of the bio sand water filter enabling households to adopt this low-cost technology. Betty has recently trained on production of organic pesticide and has started production of organic fertilisers and pesticides sold to the community increasing rural communities access to effective cost friendly pesticides. Betty’s actions have contributed to reduction in health expenses. As communities change attitude and behaviour in consumption of clean, safe drinking water, household expenditure on health has declined with reduction in prevalence of WASH related diseases. Promotion of the bio sand filter has reduced the cost of firewood to purify water. Betty has been key in influencing social behaviours as communities adopt good practices while transforming the role of women in the development of their community. She promotes eco-friendly appropriate technologies like bio sand water filter and production of organic fertilisers with minimal negative impact on the environment. The promotion of the use of bio sand water filters has increased access to clean safe water in households benefiting 9,100 fisherfolk and to over 8,000 pupils in 29 schools. This has reduced prevalence of WASH related diseases and contributed to good health in rural and fisher communities. The technology has reduced on demand for firewood or charcoal to boil water contributing to reduction in cutting of trees. The technology has created incomes in households as some sell the filtered water to other community members. The promotion of use of organic pesticide is meeting the agricultural community needs for effective fertilisers and pesticides.



Catherine Nalugga August 10, 2023 35 Comments Blog