For the last 10 years the border town  with a population of over 14,000 has been operating without a landfill and proper garbage management system.

This has since forced the residents in  the area to indiscriminately dump waste in the wetlands, bushes, corridors and along the road side exposing the community to deadly diseases like dysentery and cholera among others

Kule Kasim, the Local Council One chairperson Lorikwo West Cell, has blamed Amuru District Local government for failing  to set up a proper solid waste management system, something he says is exposing them to deadly diseases.

According to Kule, the hygiene situation is worrying and no leader is bothered about the plight of the community saying  with the return of rains  the area is most likely to be struck by malaria and cholera.

Micheal Lakony, the Amuru District LCV chairperson, has admitted the problem blaming it on the inadequate funds, environmental degradation and poor waste disposal culture among the community.

He however, said his office has raised concern with the Ministry of Local government and finance for support to help address the issues of poor garbage management.

Patrick Lamot, a Public Health Expert working for the Ministry of Health and Attached to Elegu Border Post, said the lack of proper waste management system has exposed the communities to diseases like typhoid and dysentery.

According to Lamot, their health facility is currently overwhelmed with cases of typhoid and dysentery coming as results of hygiene.

He said they have now embarked on community sensitization to improve waste management as they await a long term waste management project from the government to address the problem.

Poor waste management, ranging from non-existing collection systems to ineffective disposal, causes air pollution, water contamination, and soil contamination. Open and unsanitary landfills contribute to the contamination of drinking water and can cause infection and transmit diseases.

A World Bank Poor Sanitation Programme report released in 2012 indicates that poor sanitation costs Uganda at least Shs389 billion annually.

The money lost in three years can meet the cost of improving hygiene facilities in the country, which stands at UGX 1.3 trillion.

Caption: Piles of plastic waste in Elegu Town Council.

According to Moses Byaruhanga, District Natural Resource Officer (DNRO) Kitagwenda, Nyakabale wetland is about six kilometers long with a number of tributaries connecting to Kikweyo wetland which forms the Rwambu wetland system.

It also serves as a water catchment area for five water sources which serves about 7 villages.

Byaruhanga said that the way Nyakabale wetland is being rapidly encroached poses a risk of having no more water in the area in future if it is not protected.

He noted that the National Environment Act 2019 gives local governments a mandate to manage and protect wetlands in their jurisdiction.

“The national environment Act 2019 gives local governments including districts a mandate to manage the wetlands within their jurisdiction,” Byaruhanga said

He added that the exercise started with a community engagement to sensitize the people about the need to restore wetlands.

“Our campaign started by creating awareness and showing the people especially those neighboring the wetlands the boundaries where the demarcations will pass and also showing them why we need to restore the wetland,” Byaruhanga explained

Byaruhanga further said that they will record coordinates to fast track the people who will vandalize the concrete pillars for easy monitoring and management of wetlands.

“Wherever we plant a pillar, we are having coordinates on record, later we shall generate a map whether you remove a pillar we can still relocate that point,” He said

The District Natural Resource Officer warned the public that whoever is caught removing the demarcation pillars, he or she will be dealt with according to the law saying that wetlands are now gazetted areas in Uganda.

Initially, wetlands were not in the gazette but in 2023, all wetlands in Uganda were gazetted and now we have a legal instrument (notice number 14 of 2023) that guarantees us a legal process. Now if you commit an environmental offence, we can now prosecute you because wetlands are now protected areas where you should not encroach.” Byaruhanga emphasised

Anthony Kalyegira, Senior Environment Officer Kitagwenda said that the district still lacks about1000 concrete pillars to demarcate all the wetlands in the district.

He therefore appealed to the central government and people in the private sector foundation to join the campaign of demarcating wetlands in the area.

“As Kitagwenda district we are trying to lobby 1000 pillars from the government and private sector to ensure that all the 46 wetlands in Kitagwenda district are fully protected. And we hope with the demarcation of concrete pillars we shall recover and restore the degrade wetlands” Kalyegira explained

Currently, the degradation rate in Kitagwenda stands at 21.56 percent with a total of over 2000 hectares of wetlands encroached in the district.

“As Kitagwenda we are experiencing degradation rate of 21.56% whereby we are losing close to 2658 hectares of wetlands.” Kalyegira said

He said that Kitagwenda district has a total of about 46 wetlands that include Nyakabale, Kanunka, Ruhagura, and Kyarutanga among others.

The Kitagwenda Vice Chairman, Peter Ashaba rallied the political leaders and stakeholders to sensitise the masses about the benefits and protection of ecosystems in the district.

“On the campaign of protecting wetlands and the environment we must come out and sensitise the public about the importance of wetlands and protecting them and as leaders let us always be the leading examples in protecting our environment such that other people can learn from us,” Ashaba said

In 2022, Kitagwenda district in partnership with the Ministry of Water and Environment, demarcated about 34 kilometres of Kyarutanga, Kanunka, Ruhagura wetlands which form Rwambu and Mpanga rivers as part of the ecosystems in the district that were affected by human activities such as cultivation, brick making and planting of eucalyptus trees among others.

Empowering Women in Conservation

This year’s marathon carries a powerful theme: “Women are Stewards in Sustainable Utilization of Water and Environmental Resources Empowering the Girl Child in Conservation.” Seith Murari, Chairman of Abahumuza Development Group, emphasized the critical role women and girls play in environmental stewardship. “We challenge women and girls to come in large numbers and join the marathon, reinforcing their vital role in conservation efforts,” Murari stated.

Community Engagement and Achievements

Since the first marathon, community perception and behavior towards environmental conservation have significantly improved. Abahumuza Development Group has undertaken several initiatives, including planting trees in areas like Rwanyampazi, Kihumuro, and Bishop Stuart University, and restoring swamps such as Rwemigina wetland. These efforts have led to an increase in River Rwizi’s water levels during the dry season, a positive indicator of the project’s impact.

“Our observation is that in 2023, River Rwizi’s water level increased to 2.742 cubic meters during the dry season, something that never happened before,” Murari noted. “If we continue our efforts, we can fully restore the river.”

Addressing Wetland Encroachment

However, River Rwizi faces significant threats from illegal activities such as uncontrolled sand mining, brick laying, and waste disposal. Murari appealed to the public and various stakeholders to join the campaign, emphasizing that protecting River Rwizi is a collective responsibility. “We need affirmative action from individuals, corporate companies, organizations, and local leaders,” he said.

Mirro Suleiman, Project Manager at Abahumuza Development Group, highlighted the marathon’s goal to mobilize funds for conservation activities, including tree planting and reducing plastic waste disposal. “We run to show the region’s people the importance of River Rwizi and to fund activities that enhance its protection,” Suleiman explained.

Challenges in Enforcement and Government Response

Despite the group’s efforts, enforcement remains a challenge. Fred Bagonza, regional National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) officer for the southwestern region, cited staffing shortages as a significant hurdle. “We are few compared to the workload, managing an area that spans 30 districts,” Bagonza said. He urged the government to increase staffing to effectively combat environmental violations.

SP Thomas Kamusiime, Rwizi Regional Community Liaison Officer, called for sustainable solutions for communities relying on River Rwizi. “We need permanent, friendly solutions for those dependent on the river,” Kamusiime emphasized, urging the Ministry of Water to extend conservation campaigns to all districts in the river’s catchment area.

Restoration Efforts in Rucece Wetland

In a related initiative, Mbarara City has launched a campaign to restore over 4,000 hectares of the degraded Rucece wetland. David Sancho, the City Natural Resource Officer, reported that nearly half of the 9,000-hectare wetland has been lost to encroachment. “We are working to recover 4,000 hectares that locals have backfilled with soil, planted with eucalyptus trees, and used for construction,” Sancho said. This restoration aligns with a Presidential directive to evict wetland encroachers across Uganda.

Sancho highlighted the need for adequate funding to implement restoration and provide alternative livelihoods for encroachers. “Restoring wetlands requires significant financial resources,” he said, urging the central government to support these efforts.
Edgar Nabaasa, Mbarara City South Division Environment Officer, added that early sensitization and eviction notices were issued to encroachers. “We engaged the community and gave ample notice to remove illegal crops and structures,” Nabaasa explained.

Looking Forward

Robert Kanusu, Deputy Resident City Commissioner of Mbarara City North Division, reiterated the government’s commitment to evict encroachers and educate the public on wetland conservation. “We will continue to guide people on the importance of protecting our wetlands,” he said.

The two projects which were commissioned last week were funded by the International Water and Sanitation Centre [IRC] at a cost of shs 120million.

While commissioning the facilities, Ategeka commended IRC for its dedicated efforts in supplementing government’s work in the field of WASH.

“Under the Schools Facilities Grant [SFG], the district receives only shs 136million to cater for infrastructural needs of all schools annually, an amount that is not enough. This facility is worth shs 43million which is almost a third of the funds we receive under SFG and if it wasn’t for the good partners like IRC, we would be now struggling” Ategeka said.

He commended IRC for being on ground and doing tangible work.

Kasunganyanja health centre III sanitation facility has a four-stance pit latrine, a bathroom for women, water harvesting tank, a store and a urinal and the Kabonero piped water supply system has four public stand taps and a provision for extension of water to individual homesteads.

Ategeka appealed to communities to always make a contribution whenever there is need to repair the facilities so as to ensure their sustainability.

The IRC regional water advisor, Martin Watsisi said that they are making a deliberate effort to support health centres and schools because they are learning centres where people can find new things and go back to their homes to imitate them.

“I thank the district leadership for allowing us have an MOU with them and ensure that the process was successful. I however encourage the leadership of the facilities we have commissioned today to own them” he said.

He said the leadership should put in place mechanisms to ensure proper operation and maintenance to avoid the breakdown in future and they run to IRC for repairs.

He said as IRC, they have done their work but sustainability of these facilities is in the hands of the leadership and communities benefiting from them.

The Bunyangabu district Chief Administrative Officer [CAO], Isa Hood Nsubuga, commended IRC for being on ground and making impact in the district and respecting the MOU they signed with them.

He however cautioned NGOs that are doing nothing on ground despite having running MOUs with the district saying, they [district] will review the MOUs with non performing partners and terminate them where possible.

End. 

The launch coincided with the seating of the Loss and Damage board committee meeting in Dubai to discuss ways forward on following up on financial commitments made during the Conference of parties in Dubai last year.

In December last year during the COP 28 event in Dubai, Uganda sent a delegation of over 600 officials to negotiate and follow proceedings .H.E Sheikh Shakhboot Bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, the representative of the UAE government, in his address highlighted support for responsible trade and technology transfer as integral components of Uganda’s fight against climate change.

Mr. Xavier Ejoyi -the Country Director for Action aid International Uganda says what is going unnoticed is industrial agriculture, which relies on the large-scale destruction of biomass and the ecosystem. It is the second biggest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. He added that Over 460 billion dollars from banks and other financiers goes to funding fossil fuel-related investments which are the leading contributors to greenhouse gases.

According to  Ms. Sheily Apiny the northern regional coordinator at Action aid International, climate crisis poses an existential threat to our planet, disproportionately impacting vulnerable communities, including children, young people, and women. She called for countries that emit the highest percentages of carbon emissions to pay their fair share to support combating the climate crisis.

She stated that Last year, ActionAid launched the Fund Our Future campaign, a global campaign calling for financiers to shift funding from climate destructive activities and false climate solutions and redirect them towards investments in renewable energy and agroecological solutions.

COP28 facilitated a historic agreement to operationalize and capitalize funding for Loss and Damage, committing $726 million to support those most affected by the climate crisis, and Uganda .Experts say that if shared ,Uganda could get up 51 million Dollars ,to support those most affected by impact of climate change.

Other commitments include;
Green Climate Fund and Adaptation Fund Replenishments
$3.5 billion pledged to replenish the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
$133.6 million pledged towards the Adaptation Fund.
$129.3 million pledged towards the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDC).
$31 million pledged to the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF).

ALTÉRRA Catalytic Fund Launch
The UAE launched ALTÉRRA, a $30 billion catalytic fund to drive positive climate action, with a global mobilization target of $250 billion.

World Bank Commitment
The World Bank committed to an annual increase of $9 billion for 2024 and 2025 to finance climate-related projects.

Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) Commitment:
MDBs collectively pledged a cumulative increase of over $22.6 billion towards climate action.

Pledges and Declarations
The COP28 has witnessed the endorsement of 11 pledges and declarations, garnering historic support from countries and organizations worldwide. Notable endorsements include:
Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge endorsed by 124 countries.
COP28 UAE Declaration on Agriculture, Food, & Climate endorsed by 142 countries.
COP28 UAE Declaration on Climate and Health endorsed by 133 countries.
COP28 UAE Declaration on Climate Relief, Recovery & Peace endorsed by 75 countries and 40 organizations.
COP28 UAE Declaration on Climate Finance endorsed by 13 countries.
COP28 UAE Declaration on Hydrogen and Derivates endorsed by 37 countries.
COP28 UAE Declaration on Gender-Responsive Just Transitions endorsed by 74 countries.
Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships (CHAMP) Pledge endorsed by 65 countries.
Global Cooling Pledge endorsed by 64 countries.
Oil and Gas Decarburization Charter endorsed by 52 companies, representing 40 percent of global oil production.
Industrial Transition Accelerator endorsed by 35 companies and six industry associations.

This was said by the Tooro Kingdom premier, Steven Kiyingi who said it’s the way people can receive important information.

“A lot has been done in the Kingdom to create awareness about the spread and prevention of HIV/Aids but a lot still needs to be done because instead of reducing it is increasing. The King has now thought of installing plasma screens displaying key messages on prevention” Kiyingi said.

Despite King Oyo being the UNAIDS ambassador in the fight against HIV/Aids, the prevalence rate is still very high in his Kingdom especially in Fort Portal city where the Kingdom headquarters are located.

On several occasions, the King has always called upon his subjects to desist from acts that can expose them to HIV/Aids and several health camps have been conducted and awareness messages delivered to the population.

A new report that was released last year by Uganda Aids Commission (UAC) shows that the transmission of HIV/Aids in Fort Portal city is increasing.

According to the report, the HIV/Aids prevalence rate in Fort Portal city stands at 17.8percent which if far above the national average of 5.1 percent.

This sparked concern among regional leaders and officials from the UAC.

An official at UAC western Uganda, Michael Masiko said joint efforts should be directed towards Fort Portal city to counter the rising infections.

“Unlike the past, when Kalangala district led in HIV/Aids prevalence, Fort Portal city now holds that unfortunate distinction. We are collaborating with Tooro sub region leaders to devise effective solutions” he said.

Dr.Richard Mugahi, the assistant commissioner in charge of reproductive and infant health in the ministry of health identified poverty, gender-based violence and limited male involvement in HIV testing as key factors driving high HIV prevalence.

“I advise the ministry of health to draft messages that reasonate with the current generation. For example fighting the scourge through social media” he said.

Despite the HIV/Aids prevalence rate remaining at 17.8 percent in Fort Portal city, there is an alarming trend of new infections being registered in women than in men.

Stakeholders stress that if this pattern is not addressed urgently, it could pose a significant burden on the city’s efforts to eradicate the scourge by 2030.

According to Evan Amara, the HIV/Aids focal person for Fort Portal city, the current number of people living with HIV/Aids is 20,848, of which 12,924 are women (62 percent) and 7,922 are men (38 percent) as of December last year.

She said between October and December last year, at least 237 new HIV/Aids cases were registered of which 100 were male and 137 were female from the 13 health facilities in the city.

Out of the 237 new infections, 27 were infections acquired within the past 12 months and 15 of them were among individuals aged 20 to 34, indicating a concerning trend of increasing infections among the youth.

Among the 13 health facilities accredited to offer HIV/Aids services, Fort Portal Regional Referral hospital caters for the highest number of people living with HIV/Aids, totaling to 8,134 individuals of which 5,134 are women and 3,001 are men.

The stakeholders blame the trend on women’s vulnerability and exposure, which they said places them at a highest risk of contracting the infection.

Rev. Sarah Kakyo from Ruwenzori Diocese attributed the rise in new infections to cross-generational sex.

“Some older men who are infected with HIV/Aids nowadays seek relationships with young girls seducing them with money. In turn, these young girls desiring quick money engage in relationships with these men and end up contracting the infection” Rev. Kakyo said.

The Fort Portal city deputy mayor, Betty Mujungu stressed the need for behavior change and addressing stereotypes in Tooro sub region.

“People have a misguided notion that Batooro people are inclined to have sex at an early age, which is incorrect and we condemn it. Its not in our culture. There are numerous stereotypes and public messages that need debunking because such misconceptions lead to the spread of HIV/Aids” she said.

She urged the Ministry of health to consider rebranding HIV/Aids messaging for the public, saying the current generation prefers receiving information through songs and drama rather than traditional radio talk shows.

During the Health Journalists Network Uganda (HEJNU) media café to equip journalists on how best to report health stories at holy innocents’ children’s hospital, Fredrick Kamugisha-Health educator Mbarara district, said that the journey of eliminating mother to child transmission (EMCT) begins with the mothers going for antenatal care.

“The mother must understand the importance of breastfeeding and you cannot start talking about breastfeeding after delivery” Kamugisha said

He said that it is during antenatal care that the mother is taken through the importance of breastfeeding and challenges likely to be faced thus appealing to pregnant women to always go for early antenatal care to protect their babies from HIV transmission.

“When a pregnant mother is examined and found positive, she is initiated immediately to reduce the viral load of that mother to stop the mother-child transmission” Kamugisha said

He added that “At 6 weeks we do what we call early infant diagnosis (PCR test) to ascertain whether a child is positive or negative.

Kamugisha said that the World health organization (WHO) recommendation of HIV mothers avoiding breastfeeding the babies to prevent them from acquiring the virus has been challenged by socioeconomic status in Africa which poses a risk to the newborns.

“This is practical if there are affordable and feasible alternatives that can feed that child but basing on our setting like Africa, Uganda in particular it may not be possible” adding that, if they are not available then we recommend breastfeeding” he said

Kamugisha added that if the mother is not taking the drugs properly, the viral load will be high and the virus will exist in the milk thus encouraging institutional deliveries where medics educate the mothers on EMCT.

“They need to understand that taking drugs consistently reduces risks of children from acquiring HIV/AIDS.” He said

According to the Ministry of health (MOH) report , before introduction of EMCT, the mother to child transmission used to be between 25-40 percent but with the ushering in of the programme, the HIV rate in breastfeeding mothers went as low as below 5 percent and with non-breastfeeding mothers as low as below 2 percent.

The HIV prevalence rate in Mbarara district is 4.1 percent and the incidence rate is at 3 per a 000, meaning that out of 1000 people in the district, three can acquire HIV, with a total of 7000 people HIV positive.

According to Dr. Mike Kyewalyanga, pediatrician at Holy Innocents Children’s hospital, 5 percent of HIV can be transmitted through breastfeeding thus appealing to positive mothers to breastfeed for just a year.

“After one year, the benefits of breast milk have reduced so we rather stop the breastfeeding and minimise the risk of transmission than keeping the baby on the breast with minimal benefits” Kyewalyanga emphasized

He said that mother to child transmission currently stands at 466 per 000s of HIV cases meaning that 466 children are at a risk of HIV transmission out 100,000 live buts (mothers with HIV)

“The target as per world health organization and UNICEF should be 50 mothers out of 100,000 to take us to the vision 95-95-95 to eliminate HIV/AIDS by 2030” he said

Dr.  Kyewalyanga partially attributes the high HIV prevalence rate to the 2020 covid19 lockdown that denied patients access to proper medication to suppress the virus.

“In the healthcare giving system there was an increase in HIV spread because people would not come to the facilities to test the antiretroviral therapy (ART) as before. And then also confining people in a redundant area worsened the sexual behavior,” he said

Kyewalyanga challenged the adolescents to avoid unprotected sex. “Your sexual behavior should be upright, don’t find partners and you believe that you tested them and they are HIV negative thinking they are the right sexual partner for you, and you will fall into a trap. I advise that if you cannot abstain then use a condom.” He explained

Catherine Ankunda, a mother and an HIV victim in Mbarara, appreciated the government’s efforts to curb mother to child HIV/AIDS transmission.

“If you go to the hospital they test and sensitize you on how you should live. It is up to you as a parent to practise whatever they tell you to protect your child from HIV transmission or not” Ankunda said

She said that being HIV positive is not the end of life, thus encouraging people infected with the virus to routinely take their medication to suppress the viral load.

“People should know their status and they should know that living with HIV is not a crime. It is not the end of life because you can live like any other person if you follow the given counselling and medication” Ankunda said

She also encouraged other people who are sick to open up to their partners. “ I know it is hard but I opened up and I got a man who is negative we produced a healthy baby, we are living happily a discordancy life and my husband is very supportive so I advise HIV positive mothers to follow the medics’ prescription so that we can always produce healthy children” Ankunda explained

However she challenged researchers to get advanced HIV treatment for babies in the form of an injection rather than tablets that are complicated to administer the babies at birth preventing them from HIV transmission.

“The biggest challenge is administering the drug to the child, if it was an injection at least there it would be easy for the children but sometimes you give her, she vomits and you find she has not swallowed the prescribed dose it is a challenge that I have so far encountered protecting my child from transmission” Ankunda emphasized

AIDS is a leading cause of death among young people aged 10-24 in Africa and the second leading cause globally according to the World Health Organization [WHO]. It is estimated that the number of 10-24-year-old Africans is set to rise more than 750 million by 2060 if HIV/AIDS prevention mechanisms are not taken seriously.

In Uganda, the HIV prevalence rate stands at 5.4 percent with females contributing a greater percentage compared to males at 3.9 percent. The highly affected districts include; Kalangala, Fort Portal, Mbarara, Bushenyi among others.

The major drivers of HIV prevalence include; transactional sex practiced by commercial sex workers, alcohol influence, cultural practices, poverty, myths, unsterilized equipment among other existing modes of transmission.

Young people are increasingly acknowledged as vital contributors to transformative climate action, playing roles such as negotiators, innovators, inventors, entrepreneurs, and agents of change. However, they face a significant shortfall in essential technical, financial, and political resources and support needed to fulfill their aspirations.

In response, the Government of Italy and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with a range of knowledge partners and youth constituencies, have set out to identify, support and scale youth-led climate breakthroughs through the global Youth4Climate initiative.

Structured as an innovation challenge, this second edition of the Y4C Call for Solutions aims to support the work of young people and youth-led organisations in five thematic areas: Climate and Environment Literacy, Sustainable Energy, Food and Agriculture, Nature Assets, Sustainable Consumption and Production.

Successful applicants will be awarded:

• Up to US$ 30,000 to implement or scale the proposed innovations.
• The possibility to access technical support to strengthen their capacity on specific topics.
• The support from a mentor to develop their proposal.
• Storytelling opportunities during next events of the Youth4Climate initiative and through the Youth4Climate Platform and Website of UNDP and its partners.

Proposals, if successful, can be implemented over a maximum of 24 months. Proposals can be submitted in English, French or Spanish.

The 2024 Call will fund youth-led solutions in five broad areas: 

1. Climate and Environmental Literacy
2. Sustainable Energy
3. Food and Agriculture
4. Nature Assets
5. Sustainable Consumption and Production

Solutions may naturally address more than one of these areas, though applicants will be asked to identify one primary focus area.

Climate and Environmental Literacy:

This area emphasizes the pivotal role of education and literacy in addressing the challenges posed by the climate crisis. The focus is on equipping individuals, communities and societies with the necessary knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes required for sharing and achieving the goals set by the Paris Agreement and crucial for both mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change.

Solutions within this area include: 

– comprehensive strategies that go beyond traditional classroom settings, spanning from formal education delivered through institutional channels, such as public organizations and recognized private bodies, to non-formal education providing structured content for lifelong learning. 

– informal education, acknowledging learning activities that take place in family, workplace, local community, and daily life contexts. 

– awareness-raising about climate issues, ensuring that individuals are not only informed but also actively engaged in disseminating knowledge within their communities, fostering a broader understanding and commitment to sustainable practices.

Sustainable Energy:

The global pursuit of sustainable energy goals is progressing, but the pace falls short of the urgency required. By 2030, an estimated 660 million people will still lack access to electricity, while nearly 2 billion people will continue relying on environmentally harmful fuels and technologies for cooking. The critical role of reliable and affordable energy in our daily lives collides with the stark reality that energy consumption remains the primary driver of climate change, responsible for approximately 60 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions. In addressing these challenges, proposals are encouraged to explore cutting-edge applications of technology to enhance access to affordable and reliable energy services, promote the widespread use of renewable energy sources, and boost overall energy efficiency. Whether designed for households, industries, or other stakeholders, the proposed solutions could cover a broad spectrum of applications, ranging from clean cooking and transportation to heating and cooling. This holistic approach seeks to catalyze a just and sustainable energy transition aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7).

Food and Agriculture: 

Food systems and agriculture are a key part of climate action. Agriculture and other land uses account for nearly a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions, and one third of global produce destined for human consumption is lost or goes to waste. Climate change is a major contributor to food insecurity, as food systems struggle to respond to shocks in weather patterns and continually increasing demand. Solutions to these challenges may include, among others, regenerative, resource- and climate-resilient food production practices, or interventions related to food processing, distribution and consumption.

Nature Assets: 

Healthy ecosystems are our planet’s life support system. Forests, for example, absorb around one third of the carbon dioxide released annually through the burning of fossil fuels. The ocean is one of the largest carbon reservoirs, while mangrove forests and coral reefs protect our coastlines against rising sea-levels. Despite this immense value, nature is rapidly declining due to human activities. Animal and plant species are disappearing at a rate not seen for 10 million years, while global forest loss continues at a rate of around 10 million hectares per year, costing the global economy nearly US$10 trillion. Solutions in this area centre on the conservation and restoration of these precious natural assets.

Sustainable Consumption and Production:

It is broadly recognized that our unsustainable patterns of consumption and production are driving the triple planetary crisis. Currently, only 7.2 percent of used materials are cycled back into our economies after use. Estimates show that we are already using more than the available amount of Earth’s natural resources and if current trends were to continue, we would need three planets by 2050. Our current economic system can be considered a “linear economy”, built on a model of extracting raw materials from nature, turning them into products, and then discarding them as waste. A successful transition to a circular economy will mean minimizing waste and pollution, keeping materials in circulation for as long as possible at their highest value, and regenerating natural systems. Circular solutions can consider the entire lifecycle of economic activities and products, from electronics to plastics and textiles, as well as improvements in resource efficiency and the designing of products for longevity, repairability, and recyclability.

According to Irene Atuhairwe Duhaga, Country Director, Seed Global Health, the five year MUST partnership will expire in June 2024 and immediately a new collaboration will be signed to extend emergency care education and practise with both the university and the hospital. “MUST is one of our biggest partners since 2013, and we are happy that we are continuing to work with you in the next 6 years” Atuhairwe said She added that “one of the objectives for the courtesy visit is to introduce to you Martin from Malawi who is our new director in charge of impact and innovation, and secondly it is to shade more light on what the next phase of the partnership will be as we are coming to the end of the current strategy plan for this year”.

Unlike the previous 5 year strategy, Atuhairwe stipulated that the new collaboration will be increased to 6 years to enable the two entities conclude some of the projects that were interrupted by Covid19 pandemic. “The initial plan was for a 5 year development plan but now we are going to do a 6 year partnership strategy which will be launched in June 2024. And the reason for a 6 year is that internally we want to use the bridging year to take stock of what happened but also develop ourselves internally in terms of capacity building to be able to support partnerships not only here in Uganda but across the 4 countries we are working in” she explained According to Atuhairwe, the new strategy will focus on emergency care and maternal health to save mothers’ lives during labour.“We want to focus on a new strategy than the initial component where we have done a lot on academia and putting up a faculty department that is running now we want to see it ringing an impact,” she said.

Martin Msukwa, Managing Director impact and innovation, Seed Global Health, retaliated that seed global health will emphasize the three pillars of education, practice and policy for the next 6 years. “Much as we want to ensure clinical practice, but we are still going to focus on three pillars that is education, practice and policies and we shall use the bottom-up approach where I am happy that Uganda is leading.” Msukwa said

He emphasised that trainers in emergency medicine will have to be absorbed in the system to be able to directly support the health sector strategic plans and human resource strategic plans in developing countries rather than going on the streets to look for jobs. “We really want to make sure that people who are getting trained and improving in clinical practice are absorbed in the system whether with the government or even those in private practice. And it is not only in Uganda but in other countries that we are supporting such as Malawi and Zambia” Msukwa explained

He added that “We are making a deliberate move to make sure that for the coming 5 years our partners should be country led and also be able to give us guidance on what to work on”.“As seed global we are also moving forward to make sure that whatever we are doing is country led. We want to make sure that our partners we work with should drive the agenda.” Msukwa said

Dr. Prisca Mary Kizito, Head of department, Emergency Medicine Physician and Lecturer at Mbarara University of Science and Technology appealed to seed global to continue supporting clinical medicine as a future investment to reverse avoidable material deaths that arise due to lack of skills. “Seed global started collaborating with MUST in 2013 and we are happy that the vision that we started 5 years ago we are now registering progress in emergency medicine specialty, training in clinical care and advocacy, adding that, for example we started the emergency specialty in 2017 with only 5 residents, but today we are having 14 living and very functional residents who have all graduated over the past four years because of the continuous from seed global health” Kizito explained

She added that “For years MUST has always struggled with space but today at least we have enough space and thanks to seed global”. “We started from a small tea room in 2017 which was also a lecture room but seed suggested that emergency medicine deserves better attention and better care whereby they supplied us with computers, tables and chairs thus shifting from that small room to a bigger space where we are currently operating from” Kizito implored

Prof. Joseph Ngonzi, Dean Faculty medicine, MUST, appreciated seed global partnership that has changed the face of medicine as a core course at Mbarara University. “We don’t take our engagement with you for granted, you have made great strides towards emergency medicine and even in other areas regarding to trainings, clinical care, staff support because must initially did not have any physician in emergency medicine” Ngonzi said He confirmed that together with MRRH, they will be excited to co-sign the MOU with Seed Global health to help to strengthen the support to amplify emergency medicine both in the university and the hospital.

“Of course without the referral, we would not be having a primary teaching hospital unless we search elsewhere so we shall continue working together in signing the new deal to co-exist,” Ngonzi said .He further asked seed global health to support the university in other areas which are instrumental such as neonatal component and clinical care in terms of education, mentorship and research.“Seed global picked us from somewhere and I can now see that the journey is well defined. We pray that the next 6 years’ journey will be with a clear roadmap.” Ngonzi said

Prof. Nickson Kamukama, Acting Vice Chancellor, MUST, urged Ugandans to embrace internationalization to help to solve societal challenges. “Internationalization is the way to go that is why we are now registering results in emergency medicine” he said adding that, we have a tendency of promoting inbreeding which is not helping us. Let’s go beyond the boundaries of Uganda and Africa to work together to get solutions for our societal challenges” Kamukama explained Seed Global Health Uganda is a non-government organization that partners to train nurses, midwives, and physicians, building complete health teams that can provide high-quality care and save lives.

The MUST-MRRH-SEED interdisciplinary collaboration started in 2013 where they have so far received ultrasound equipment, training and capacity building as part of life saving intervention on trauma, maternal health and emergency cases.

Currently, the average access to safe water in Kabarole district stands at 77 percent with some sub counties still facing significant challenges like Kijura town council which still stands at 7 percent. Of the 77 percent, only 27 percent of the population has access to water from protected springs, 58 percent relies on shallow well, 4 percent on boreholes and 12 percent on public taps. Since 2018, the district has been implementing a WASH master plan to conclude by 2030.

However, over the past years, the district has been grappling with WASH challenges which include limited access to clean and safe water, poor latrine coverage, open defecation and low hand washing coverage after visiting the latrine.

The Kabarole District Administrative officer (CAO), Swaibu Baraba said the National vision states that “water must be available within 300metres for every household by 2030”. He said, to realize the district’s WASH master plan by 2030, a substantial investment is required with $ 24.1mln allocated for water initiatives and $ 48.1 million for sanitation projects.

Kabarole district leaders say, some parts of the district still face the challenge of open defecation leading to increased diseases associated with poor sanitation. According to the Kabarole district health educator, Catherine Kemigabo, a lot of effort is needed to change people’s attitude. It has been noted that in Kichwamba Sub County alone, out of 31 villages in the entire sub county, 11 villages still practice open defecation.

According to the WASH Baseline sanitation and hygiene survey data report for Kichwamba Sub County, as of December to March 2024, open defecation rates in specific areas are alarming. In parishes of Bwanika, Kihondo and Mabale, open defecation rate is at 42.9 percent, 79.9 percent and 47.4 percent respectively.

Similarly, there are varying levels of improvement in water access across these parishes with Bwanika at 42.9 percent, Kihondo at 79.9 percent and Mabale at 47.4 percent. The data further indicates challenges in hygiene practices, where only 6.4 percent of the entire sub county population wash their hands after visiting the latrine and latrine coverage is at 42.4 percent. In order to address these challenges, the district has been collaborating with different partners like IRC in implementing various interventions which include the construction of new gravity flow water schemes and improved sanitation around homes.

Last month, the district launched the construction of a Uganda Shillings 900 million gravity water scheme in Bwanika parish, Kichwamba Sub County with an aim of benefiting 14 villages. According to the Kabarole district chairperson LCV, Richard Rwabuhinga,the initiative seeks to reduce dependence on water from crater lakes which have been exposed to Bilharzia and Typhoid over the years. Rwabuhinga said the water project will be constructed in three phases with the initial phase costing shs 237 mln. “Our goal is to ensure elimination of drinking or fetching water from unprotected sources by 2030. This water project will also reduce the burden of Bilharzia in Kichwamba sub county” he said.

He added that for many years, residents of Bwanika have been relying on water from crater lakes, exposing them to contamination. He revealed that collaborative efforts with partners including IRC will contribute funds to facilitate timely completion of the water project before 2026. To address WASH challenges at the household level, the district in collaboration with IRC has initiated a home improvement campaign.

Mary Ayoreka from IRC Uganda emphasized the organization’s commitment to supporting the district in implementing and achieving the WASH master plan by 2030. She said the organization’s primary focus in 2024 is on addressing the longstanding sanitation challenges in Kichwamba Sub County.She added that the intensive home improvement campaign initiated in December last year involved door to door visits for health education, raising awareness and promoting practices to enhance sanitation and hygiene.

“We initiated home improvement campaigns in December and as a result, 19 out of the 31 villages in the target area are now officially open defecation free. However, a persistent challenge remains in the area of hand washing practices” she said.

She said to address the issue of hand washing, in collaboration with other partners, they have taken an initiative to provide hand washing facilities which they anticipate that the intervention will lead to an improvement in hand washing practices.