Kigezi Diocese Water and Sanitation Programme (KDWSP) is a Faith Based Organization aimed at meeting the needs of the rural poor and water stressed communities in Diocese of Kigezi, which shares the same boundaries as Kabale District. This is a unit under the Department of Planning and Development of Diocese of Kigezi. Since its inception in 1986, it has evolved and grown from grace to grace in pr
oviding safe clean water to rural communities of Kigezi. When in full operation, KDWSP employs over 45 staff members with an average budget of $850,000 serving all people irrespective of social status, religious and political affiliations. KDWSP works with different development partners to ensure sustainable safe water supply and holistic community transformation through Construction, Capacity Development, Health Education , Advocacy and Publicity, Rain Water Center skills based training for community based artisans and Integrated Water Resources Management. Kigezi Diocese Water and Sanitation Programme focuses on poor rural communities and has to date facilitated access to clean water by constructing 51 gravity flow schemes, protecting over 990 springs, providing 172 community tanks (up to 50m3), 2279 of (4000 ltrs) and over 9,066 household jars (420 - 1500ltrs each) in over 92 rural communities, 660 Bio-sand filters, 456 artisans have been trained in different rain water harvesting technologies, 5300 Sanitary plats, 5300 tippy taps. All these are in addition to software interventions and trainings in sanitation and hygiene, water safety plans, community led total sanitation, environmental protection, integrated development, management and sustainability, family planning, HIV/AIDS, food security, community led advocacy initiatives and resources mobilization all aimed at holistic transformation of society. The achievements to date have been spearheaded by a KDWSP Unit at the Diocese and trained women groups and artisans. Over-all 35 women groups have been trained in ferro cement tank construction and 82 artisans from the 8 districts of South Western Uganda in rain water harvesting technologies. In addition, the programme has trained manyother organizations in rain harvesting namely, Two Wings Agro forestry Network (TWAN) in ferro cement tank construction, Teddo Soroti, Dioceses of Muhabura , North Kigezi, Rwenzori , Kabale Diocese (Roman Catholic)and many more in various rain water harvesting technologies. The programme embarked on constructing Rain Water Harvesting Training and Research Centre for South Western Uganda at Rwakaraba in Kabale Municipality with the purpose of not only imparting the knowledge and skills of rain water harvesting technologies but also a centre for best WASH practices and research into viable low cost technologies. The first phase was completed with the construction of training hall and construction of demonstration water facilities. The outstanding construction includes construction of office and class rooms block, kitchen and dining hall and dormitories. KDWSP is one of the founder members Rain Water Association (URWA) and Uganda Water and Sanitation NGO Network (UWASNET) and continues to serve of governing bodies of the two networks in various capacities.
