PARTNERSHIP BREAKTHROUGH WITH RWENZURURU KINGDOM, BLESSED BY THE KING.

“With Mount Rwenzori, No Ugandan and African at large should be poor” said by his Majesty, the King of Rwenzururu Kingdom, Charles Wisley Mumbere Iremangoma. This was heard from the strongest highly respected man in the Rwenzori region when a team from IDEASForUganda and Centre for protection of the Nile (CPN) visited him at his Obuhikira royal Palace today, October 30^th 2015 in Kasese Municipality, Uganda, East Africa.

IDEASForUganda Programs Manager Isaac Sinamakosa, IDEASForUganda Western region Coordinator Ms Jane Benuza and IDEASForUganda CPN Ambassador to Egypt and UK Eng. Max Muhamoud Hassouna before His Majesty Charles Wisley Mumbere Iremangoma, The King of Rwenzururu Kingdom

Rwenzururu Kingdom is strongly associated with the Mountain of the moon, the only snow capped mountain in Uganda stretching to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, with great development potentials, and believed to be the source of the longest river in Africa and second in the whole world that flows through Lakes George, Edward, Albert, Victoria in Uganda to South Sudan, Sudan, Egypt and finally pouring into Mediterranean Sea.

Posing for a group photo at Prime Minister's Office before setting off to the Royal Palace to meet his Majesty.In Black court is the Prime Minister Rt Hon Noah Nzaghale, next to him is the Minister of Environment and Behind in a neck-tie is the Minister of special Duties in Prime Minister's Office.

Prime Minister(in a black Court) Giving introductory remarks.

Protecting and conserving Mount Rwenzori/Mountain of the Moon is tantamount to saving lives of Millions of Africans and creating opportunities for viable green projects, for Ugandans on this very important mountain. 

Eng.Max Hassouna Stressing a point to His Majesty.

The King made it clear that his Kingdom is committed to working with every one willing to support the conservation of Mount Rwenzori and asked IDEASForUganda and CPN to cement the initiated partnership by connecting the Kingdom with several Development partners all over the World.

His Majesty receiving a gift from Eng. Max Hassouna

In the Meeting, the following key resolutions were made; 

•  IDEASForUganda and CPN Coalition to sign a partnership MOU with Rwenzururu Kingdom(Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu) on the conservation of Mount Rwenzori through establishing green projects like re-afforestation, Water and Food sustainability innovations, Herbal ancient Medicine, Eco-Tourism among others.

•  Joint Fundraising for Environmental sustainability Projects by IDEASForUganda-CPN Coalition and Rwenzururu Kingdom.

•  IDEASForUganda ambassador to Egypt and UK Eng. Max Hassouna Muhamoud to carry a mantle of Rwenzururu Kingdom and Market its Vision and Mission, globally.

•  His Majesty the King to share with the President of the Republic of Uganda about the Partnership initiated on the conservation of Mount Rwenzori.

His Majesty and Eng. Max Hassouna posing for a photo

The Meeting ended with his Majesty calling on IDEASForUganda and CPN to work hard in mobilizing the world for the good of Mount Rwenzori and engaging IDEAS global movement Network and partners to get closer to the Kingdom for Green Development.

FILTERS FOR SCHOOLS PROJECT TO EASE STUDENT ACCESS TO SAFE DRINKING WATER

Filters For Schools is a SPOUTS of Water and IDEAS For Uganda partnership project with primary focus on bringing clean water and clean water education to students without access.  Priority is given to schools that currently have partial or no access to clean drinking water

 

Students of Hope Nursery and Primary  School expressing their happiness upon receiving the filters

Project objectives.

·         To enhance the knowledge and understanding of the relationship between clean water and health by schools and community stakeholders in Kampala city.

·         To bring clean water and clean water education to students without access. 

-To provide voluntary WASH education to students

·         To contribute to the promotion of environmental conservation in Kampala city by November 2015 through promotion of clean methods of purifying water by substituting boiling water with charcoal, firewood, kerosene, with ceramic filters.

According to UN Water, Lack of access to safe drinking water and inadequate sanitation and hygiene are responsible for the majority of the 1.8 million annual deaths caused by diarrhea disease. Children under five are particularly affected. According to the WHO report, 884 million people do not use improved sources of drinking water. Over one third of those live in sub-Saharan Africa. In Uganda, 40 per cent of people boil water for purification and many more do not treat water at all. In addition, wood harvest for domestic cooking and boiling water is one of the major causes of deforestation. The burning of wood not only damages the environment, but can also negatively impact human health. In addition, many women and children spend much of their time gathering fuel instead of putting that time toward more productive purposes.

IDEAS For Uganda's volunteer; Bbale Earnest offloading filters

The Filters For Schools Project was therefore initiated to address such challenges that hinder safe water access, especially by poor school going children in Uganda. It is also evident that; because the boiling of drinking water is so expensive and practically very difficult to boil daily so much  water - boarding schools do not provide the drinking water - their students would need.

So far, we have donated filters to many students and our beneficiaries include the following schools;

1. Ø  Busawula Primary School
2. Ø  Kampala School For the Handicapped-Mengo
3. Ø  Doors Primary  school Namuwongo
4. Ø  Light High School Kitebi
5. Ø  Hope Nursery and Primary school kawempe
6. Ø  Mboggo Grammar Primary school
7. Ø  Rainbow Community School Nakawuka
8. Ø  Kasubi Parents  Primary School.

Our aim is to have every Ugandan student have access to at least one liter of safe drinking water. This will reduce their chances of contracting such diseases like Typhoid, Cholera, Diarrhea, etc and hence increase their school days.

Additionally, we believe that by using ceramic water filters to ease access to safe drinking water, we shall be reducing on the energy needs of boiling water and in a way, we are tackling deforestation.  

 

Pupils of Mbogo Grammar dancing for the filters!!

CRITERIA FOR BECOMING A BENEFICIARY

1. Filling the FFS survey form (info on institution; challenges in view of drinking water; challenges with school fees payment, etc)

2. Review of applications by the  FFS team

a). A protected environment for installation

b) Capability of beneficiary to manage and maintain the facilities

c). Capability and willingness of school administration parents for a sensitization workshop (ownership, awareness training, financial contribution where necessary)

d) Small school of about 250 students

3. Sufficient and permanent water supply

a) Rainwater harvesting

b) Pumping water from another source to a rainwater harvesting tank

c) Providing un-purified water with jerrycans

Rebecca Liebschutz of SPOUTS of Water demonstrating to teachers how the Filter works

The FFS team teaching pupils of Rainbow Community school about Sanitation and Hygiene

Students of Kasubi Parents Primary School showing off filters