(Meeting Jinja City Leadership on Fecal Sludge Waste Management)

Alliance Water Solutions (AWASO) is providing emptying services in Jinja City and the rest of eastern Uganda, this is done to reduce open defecation when the latrines are full in slums, schools, and areas near water bodies. Latrine/toilet emptying result in:-

• Decreased transfer of pathogens between feces and food by flies. These pathogens are major causes of infectious diarrhea, intestinal worm infections. Infectious diarrhea resulted in about 700,000 deaths in children under five years old in 2011 and 250 million lost school days.
• Prevention of Trachoma which thrives where there are water shortages, poor sanitation and infestations of flies, The agony and disability of blinding trachoma can lead to a cycle of poverty, limiting many people’s access to health services, education, and employment, 137 million people in 44 countries are at risk of going blind by Trachoma -Sightsavers
• Reducing the risk of Bilharzia which is a parasitic infection spread through contact with contaminated freshwater. People can reduce the infection by defecating and urinating in latrines. 29% of people two years of age and older in Uganda are infected with Bilharzia. Infection is highest in children two to four years of age at 41.9% (PMA2020 in 2017)

The City leadership has pledged continued support since the current sewage line serves less than 20% of the population. The rest of the people use pit latrines/Toilet which continually keep filling up.