Fostering Sustainability and Community Engagement

Overview

Sustainable Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) interventions go beyond infrastructure—they require local ownership, consistent management, and strong community involvement. The Rotary Safari for WASH Fellowship believes that true and lasting change happens when communities are empowered to maintain and protect WASH facilities themselves.

This program pillar aims to ensure that every WASH project supported by the fellowship is sustainable, community-led, and aligned with local government structures. It promotes not only long-term functionality of facilities but also behavior change and shared responsibility among school stakeholders and the wider community.

Program Objective

To build local capacity and ownership that ensures sustainable WASH infrastructure and promotes active community participation in fostering hygienic environments in Uganda’s public primary schools.

Key Program Areas & Activities

1. Capacity Building for School and Community Stakeholders

a. WASH Management Training

• Train school management committees, teachers, and parent-teacher associations (PTAs) on:

  • Facility maintenance and minor repairs

  • Proper budgeting for WASH supplies (e.g., soap, water treatment)

  • Developing WASH action plans and schedules

b. Community Health Volunteer (CHV) Training

• Identify and train local health champions to monitor hygiene behaviors, support school WASH activities, and serve as a bridge between the school and community.

• Equip CHVs with basic tools for outreach and hygiene education.

c. Technical Skills Development

• Partner with local artisans and vocational institutions to train selected community members in:

  • Latrine construction

  • Borehole repair

  • Plumbing and handwashing station maintenance

2. Establishment of School WASH Committees

• Set up WASH Committees in each supported school comprising students, teachers, and parents.

• Roles include:

  • Overseeing maintenance schedules

  • Ensuring soap and water availability

  • Organizing WASH events and awareness days

• Conduct quarterly refresher trainings and peer learning forums for WASH Committees.

3. Community Sensitization and Mobilization

a. Community Dialogues and Meetings

• Organize open forums with school communities to:

  • Share WASH project plans and timelines

  • Gather local input and identify shared priorities

  • Mobilize in-kind contributions such as labor, materials, or water containers

Sustainability Strategies

• Embed WASH in school improvement and health policies

• Foster public-private partnerships to supplement government funding

• Institutionalize periodic WASH assessments and feedback sessions

• Train multiple local champions to avoid knowledge loss through turnover