Water is Life: Amazzi Bulamu

Presentation at ‘Health Dialogues’ Irish Forum for Global Health Dublin March 15th 2011

Bríd QuiltySchool of Biotechnology

Dublin City University

Mission Statement

“The water is life project aims to build research capacity in Ireland and Africa and to conduct research that supports sustainable water resource management as a catalyst for sustainable economic and social development in rural Uganda.”

Water is Life: Amazzi Bulamu

The project is a 5 year programme – 2008 to 2013, funded directly through the Irish Aid/Higher Education Authority (HEA) Programme of Strategic Co-Operation which promotes innovative research in support of Irish Aid’s mission and develops the capacity of the higher education sector for research on issues affecting the developing world.

Partners

• DkIT - Project Leaders• NUI Maynooth • Dublin City University (DCU),• Trinity College Dublin (TCD),• Royal College of Surgeons in

Ireland (RCSI),• University College, Dublin • Queen’s University Belfast

(QUB) • Makerere University in the

Ugandan capital Kampala• Medical Missionaries of Mary

• various NGO’s

Location

The focus of the project is the Makondo region of rural Uganda where clean and safe water supplies remain a major issue. Makondo is in the Masaka District, Bukoto County, Ndagwe Subcounty, Makondo Parish. The parish covers the area of about 33Km2 and 15 villages.

Water Supply in the Makondo Area

Research Programme

The Research programme will;

• Support research with a “water-centred” focus;

• Examine water sourcing, distribution & sanitation;

• Assess impact on community & health & gender;

• Engage community interest & support;

Researchers

• The eight PhD researchers funded by the programme will complete doctoral research in disciplines such as science, engineering, geography and sociology.

• Each research project will be driven by the need for long term sustainability and tailored to the needs of the local population.

PhD Research Projects

• Sourcing & distribution of sustainable groundwater supplies for rural water supply (DkIT/TCD/MUK)

• Sustainable pump technologies (DkIT/DCU/MUK)

• Solar disinfection of drinking water (RCSI/DCU/MUK)

• Health impact of SODIS using a school- based trial protocol (RCSI/DCU/MUK)

• Water & water management needs: social & health impacts on women & their children (DCU/DkIT/MUK)

• Adaptation of water management to climate change (NUIM/MUK)

• The social impact of gendering water resource management (NUIM/MUK)

• Understanding cooperation & conflict in local water governance (DCU/MUK)

GIS supporting Research

GIS (Geographical Information Systems) Database overseen by the GIS Data Manager with supporting information on;

health centres, schools, roads, village boundaries, water sources, land cover type, soils, gender issues and how they relate to water management, rainfall, health records (including waterborne diseases) and how health issues can be related to water supply and water quality

Community Engagement

Reaching the local community in Uganda through local education initiatives and training programmes

SODIS Project

Training at Makondo Teachers from Schools in the

Makondo Area

Current Position

• All researchers are in Uganda carrying out field work

• The research projects are progressing very well and are expected to be completed in 2012 when the students will return to Ireland to complete the write up of their theses.

Go raibh maith agaibh

Thank you