RICNET AWARDS HOUSEHOLD WITH GOOD HOUSE HYGIENE AND SANITATION IN KASESE.

RICNET staff addressing the women on the issues concerning hygiene and VAC

Kitholhu sub-county in Kasese district located on the slopes of Mt. Rwenzori still experience extreme poverty levels, ignorance and illiteracy. This area is characterized with food insecurity, poorly constructed homes, limited access to basic services like medical care, education and clean water among others. 

Basing on that background, RICNET therefore organized household competitions for Kitholhu sub-county in the villages of Bulemera and Kibisire to determine the best homestead. This process was guided by an assessment tool that considered the number of people in household, sanitation facilities like state of the main house, kitchen, latrine, rubbish pit, drying wire, and immunized children in homes among others.
RICNET staff came together with the Assistant Health Officers, Community Development Officers, and Chairpersons LCIs of these areas as they visited every competing household.

After this rigorous exercise, the following were declared winners;

·         Muhindo Esteri

·         Nyesi Bwambale

·         Jetrida Kahighe

·         John Kahighe

·         Mangadalene Busimbe

Awarding of the best participant

All the competing households were given bars of washing and bathing soap. This aimed at improving the general hygiene and sanitation in the homes targeting children as some families tend to neglect children in terms of hygiene ,providing for them basic needs like food ,education among others. We hope this will encourage parents to take care of their children and provide for them as one way of preventing violence against children . Over 30 households participated and were drawn from Bulemera women group and some community homes.

There were however some crosscutting shortcomings that were identified majority of the competing households which included lack of rubbish pits, absence of food stores, no kitchen gardens, unprotected water sources, people sharing the same house with animals which especially affects the general wellbeing of the children and women.

 Women posing their gifts after the function