Transforming rural lives in northern Uganda
New clean energy infrastructure brings water closer to households.
NDF Uganda Country Program Manager Charles Wetherill joined teams from the Ugandan Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and Ministry of Water and Environment earlier this month to commission three new solar water pumping stations in the north of Uganda.
The intervention financed by NDF is part of the umbrella programme Energy for Rural Transformation, a joint financing initiative with the World Bank under the overall implementation leadership of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development. It is the second climate finance project launched by NDF and has invested in deployment of renewable energy technologies small towns and communities around Uganda since 2009.
The commissioning highlighted the success of this long standing partnership with the government of Uganda with visits new solar water pumping stations, storage tanks and connections to central water points in towns of Lagoro-Oryang, Omiya-Anyima and Agoro-Potika, representing all together a population close to 8000 who now have reliable access to clean water.
The impact of access to clean water on continuous basis in these remote, northern communities is truly transformative. For the communities involved, Wetherill emphasized, “the rhythms of life are changed for the better and almost overnight thanks to swift contracting and construction.”
Time related to water collection is now significantly shorter thanks to the new systems, largely benefitting children and women, who traditionally bear the burden of water collection. The cost to the communities related to water pumping is now also significantly reduced with solar panels powering the water pump now virtually for free.
For more pictures and information about the project please visit the Facebook-page for Ministry of Water and Environment of Uganda.