Annual Report
info@equalaqua.org www.equalaqua.org
UK Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) - 1190730 Uganda Community Based Organisation (CBO) - 749/2020
EQUAL AQUA UGANDA - ANNUAL REPORT 2022
Executive Summary
On behalf of the Equal Aqua team - both in Uganda and around the world - I would like to convey my appreciation to all those that have supported our essential work in 2022. This has enabled us to expand our Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) skills workshops, menstrual hygiene programme and start our own Equal Aqua Sustainable Construction team, who are building water tanks and latrines. With your support we have reached over 5,000 people in 2022 , including increasing our impact among refugee groups and those with disabilities.
This was all made possible by our growing team of passionate volunteers, now representing over ten different countries. I was honoured to receive the Commonwealth Point of Light Award on behalf of the team from the British High Commissioner to Uganda in 2022. Working with the Commission and other likeminded organisations we aim to further build international solidarity and awareness around Equal Aqua's work to tackle UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation for All).
2022 has not been without its challenges. The continuing COVID pandemic and recent Ebola outbreak forced some limitations to our work, while further emphasising the importance of good WASH.
Please consider supporting our work at www.equalaqua.org/donate so that we are able to expand and diversify our work.
Abel Odeke
Managing Director
Abel receiving the Queen's Point of Light award from Kate Airey, British High Commissioner to Uganda.
Key Outcomes 2022
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people provided people upskilled in students completed trees planted,
access to safe WASH skills and our Menstrual tackling climate
water vocational training Hygiene Management change
curriculum.
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"In 2022 we expanded our outreach in refugee camps throughout Uganda - reaching over one thousand vulnerable people , mostly women and girls.
This included Menstrual Hygiene sessions in Kyaka II Refugee
Settlement in Western Uganda, breaking taboos on the subject in order to support girls to stay in school for longer . We also continued our WASH workshops in Bidi Bidi, Northern Uganda (the largest refugee camp in the world), teaching practical skills that people can turn into business opportunities"
Jovia Namihanja
Project Officer
EQUAL AQUA UGANDA - ANNUAL REPORT 2022
About Us
The people at Equal Aqua are what make this journey possible. In 2022 we continued to increase our volunteers base, growing 30% in size to over 30 people .
This year we introduced a new role of People Manager to demonstrate further our commitment to the People function. The people we recruit, their skills, background and uniqueness are at the core of our success. A culture of inclusiveness, high collaboration and strong team spirit permeates our organisation and is based on one of our core values: “everyone is equal at EAU”,
Cristina Liga People Manager
Our guiding philosophy remains the same.
Our projects are driven by Ugandan grassroots needs, as identified by our Ugandan Team, who also design and deliver the solutions. This is supported by the UK/Global Team, who lead on fundraising, communications and other business functions. We are always looking for additional volunteers with various skillsets to join the EAU family. Please contact us to explore opportunities. This will help us to achieve our aim of attaining NGO status in Uganda in 2023.
Our Vision
We will become a leading organisation in Uganda in addressing inequality in water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH), and interrelated issues of gender and sustainability.
Our Mission
We will achieve this by working with partners and local communities to develop the required skills, knowledge and practical interventions to solve these challenges.
Our Primary Objectives
To improve access to clean, safe and sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) for those facing the greatest inequalities in rural communities in Uganda.
1
To support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving WASH management, in particular women and girls, and those in vulnerable situations.
2
To take action to promote conservation of the natural environment , including tree planting; improve water quality by reducing pollution; and protect and restore waterrelated ecosystems.
3
EQUAL AQUA UGANDA - ANNUAL REPORT 2022
Theory of Change
This year we are proud to introduce a brand-new Theory of Change (ToC) for Equal Aqua Uganda. Our ToC demonstrates how we achieve impact through the activities we run as a charity and determines our monitoring and evaluation approach. This will provide us with the information we need to evaluate progress against our objectives. The ToC also acts as a key strategy, fundraising and stakeholder engagement tool.
The ToC should be read left-to-right. The diagram is simplified and does not include all possible connections. Therefore, whilst the ToC is presented as a linear process the interactions between outputs, outcomes and impacts are expected to be more dynamic .
In this ToC, an output is considered as something that is directly achieved as a result of running an activity. An outcome is a result of the output or a series of outputs, but requires an external enabler. An impact is the result of achieving outcomes.
Ryan Warren Evaluation Lead
"The vision, mission, activities and target beneficiaries are set by the Ugandan Team, with influence from the Global Team, UN SDGs , monitoring frameworks, policy decisions and research outputs.
The ToC will be reviewed annually, to ensure it accurately reflects the strategic direction of the Charity."
View the full ToC online at www.equalaqua.org/about/
Our second year of operations as a registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) in the UK has seen the expansion and capacity building of our team to include volunteers based around the world across a range of sub-teams, particularly in core roles. This has enabled us to consolidate and formalise our organisational structure to better serve our mission.
Trustees Report
Meanwhile, we are very pleased to report that our work on the ground in Uganda has continued, with dedicated funding from Festival Medical Services supporting our WASH workshops and Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) sessions at a number of locations, including the Kyaka II Refugee Settlement. These programmes will benefit over 800 people over 18 months, including ongoing implementation support. The newly designed MHM curriculum will be made available online for free, thus facilitating a wider implementation base and reducing barriers to the content. Construction of water tanks is ongoing, with the team investigating other sustainable construction methods through knowledge sharing with other organisations working in the field and the country. Building partnerships is key to achieving our vision and we continue to be honoured by the support received from our partners around the world.
Furthermore, our work is now underpinned by the Theory of Change (ToC), which will enable effective monitoring and evaluation, as well as acting as a stakeholder engagement tool and supporting fundraising.
The Trustees extend our gratitude to our dedicated volunteers from the UK, Uganda and beyond, who continue to selflessly give their time to ensure that we keep working towards tackling WASH inequalities. We look forward to continue to support this work in the coming year.
Our Impact in 2022: Change Stories
At Equal Aqua Uganda, we see beyond the numbers - looking at the real change stories of the people benefiting from our programmes. We demonstrated again in 2022 that we are making a positive impact on lives in Uganda, tackling WASH inequality to deliver better health, education and livelihoods outcomes for thousands of people.
Below are a series of of case studies highlighting some of the groups we had the pleasure of working with in 2022. We look forward to working with these groups in 2023 to deliver adequate and equitable WASH for all .
Mbale School for the Deaf Mbale District, Eastern Uganda
WASH Workshops and Menstrual Hygiene Management
Our highly skilled trainers Jovia, Peace and Joan delivering the first part of EAU's MHM curriculum for a group of 70 highly engaged students at Mbale School for the Deaf. Many trainees have complex and multiple disabilities, making delivery challenging, but extremely rewarding for the learners.
Martin, Tom and Abel leading a session on how to produce homemade liquid soap from readily available chemicals. A total of 61 in attendance, with a member of the school providing a running translation into sign language.
Kongunga Secondary School Bukedea District, Eastern Uganda
The first WASH workshops at Kongunga Secondary were oversubscribed, with many hundreds wishing to learn how to make their own WASH products. We also set up a sanitation club at the school, with an elected group of engaged students with the aim of teaching those unable to attend.
24 students of Kongunga Secondary participated in the MHM sessions, in which the EAU team taught how to make reusable sanitary pads and discussed the biology of menstration.
Kyaka II Refugee Camp Kyegegwa District, Western Uganda
The EAU team leading WASH and MHM sessions with a women's group in Kyaka II Refugee Camp in Western Uganda. The majority of the population of Kyaka II are Congolese, having fled ongoing conflict in the neighbouring country.
Training learners in smaller groups enables us to deliver more hands-on learning and can lead to more substantial long-term outcomes, e.g. number of participants turning the skills into business opportunities.
EAU Sustainable Construction Team
Founded in 2022
In 2022 EAU created its own Sustainable Construction team to lead on the development and delivery of WASH infrastructure using sustainable building materials and methods. Including tanks built together with partners the Ichupa Upcycle Project early in the year, we have supported the construction of 5 new tanks in 2022, taking our total to 18 thus far.
The team are planning to further develop the designs for water tanks and latrines using ecobricks (recycled plastic bottles), as well as investing in a ISSB moulding machine to provide larger structures. Both solutions replace plastic and kiln-fired bricks, thereby reducing climate and other environmental impact.
After receiving the Commonwealth Points of Light Award in 2021/22, the team were delighted to welcome Matthew Little, Deputy Development Director at the British High Commission, to visit our projects in person. Mr Little was our guest of honour at the launch of the ecobrick water tanks at Mbale School for the Deaf.
We look forward to continue working closely with the Commission in 2023, who are kindly spotlighting our work.
We would like to pay special thanks to the Nathwani and Agarwal Family, who sponsored the construction of the 10,000-litre water tank at Jane Alison School in Kachumbala.
The school has demonstrated exceptional care in the use and maintenance of the tank, due to the good school management. We are now raising funds for a latrine for the school to replace the current dilapidated facilities.
The Member of Parliament for Bukedea District again demonstrated support for EAU's work by attending the ceremonial commissioning of our water tank at Kongunga High School.
This also gave the MP the opportunity to observe our on-going WASH and MHM workshops with the school. He has indicated that he will support our application in 2023 for full NGO status in Uganda.
Kongoidi Youth Development Group Bukedea District, Eastern Uganda
WASH Workshops
We provided the first of three WASH training sessions for the Kongoidi Youth Development Group, with a total of 40 trainees, including 14 women. Member of the EAU team are able to provide translations into local languages to support learning of diverse groups.
The team supported trainees to conduct pre-programme assessments, which will support our monitoring and evaluation of outcomes and impacts.
All EAU trainings conclude with a session on business skills - teaching trainees how to source materials, market their products, and establish sustainable business models. This facilitates the ultimate outcome - that participants are able to translate their skills into business opportunities, supporting their families and communites.
Live in Light Ministries EQUAL AQUA UGANDA - ANNUAL REPORT 2022 Mityana District, Central Uganda
The ultimate objective of Equal Aqua's skills training is to enable people to turn these skills into entrepreneurial opportunities . Following sessions with the EAU team, a church group from Mityana is applying their new WASH skills to start up a business venture that has helped them to become financially selfsustaining.
Equal Aqua Uganda assisted with their company registration as a business to enable them to easily market their WASH products as well as teaching others to do the same through community outreach. We will continue to train and mentor the group in partnership with Live in Light Ministries and keep monitoring the groups to ensure they are progressing well.
EQUAL AQUA UGANDA - ANNUAL REPORT 2022
2022 Financial Report
In 2022 Equal Aqua expanded its tree planting programme - restoring national ecosystems with indigenous forests.
EQUAL AQUA UGANDA - ANNUAL REPORT 2022
2023 Forward Look
We have big plans for 2023. We will fully register as an NGO in Uganda so that we can join a consortium of other organisations that deliver projects directly for the Ministry of Water and the Environment.
We aim to have provided a cumulative total of 20,000 people with clean water through the construction of water tanks and providing filtration systems. We will embark on building latrines to help tackle poor waste disposal in schools and reduce open defecation among communities in Eastern Uganda. We will expand our WASH skills and Menstrual Hygiene programmes, reaching 1,000s more refugees and vulnerable people throughout Uganda. We also aim to plant 6,000 more trees of native species by end of 2023, totalling over 10,000 to date.
The People function has ambitious plans to continuously further develop our practices ensuring they remain relevant and suitable for our mission. As we recruit more volunteers, we will ensure that they are well-managed to enable them to reach their full potential while involving them in projects and activities to facilitate their desired personal development. Additionally, we intend to
introduce new learning opportunities for our Global team, holding sessions with speakers on relevant topics, sharing knowledge, and reflections at team events. We will be introducing more structured ways for volunteers to give feedback over the coming year, ensuring continuous learning and development takes place across the organisation.
Jovia running one of our Menstrual Hygiene Management workshops in 2022
EQUAL AQUA UGANDA - ANNUAL REPORT 2022
Support Us
Equal Aqua is run by a team of committed, passionate and skilled volunteers. 100% of money raised goes directly towards our projects in Uganda.
We guarantee a professional service that ensures the best value for your investment into WASH facilities for those facing the greatest inequalities.
You will be providing direct and verifiable aid to those who need it most. We document all our projects and workshops on our social media channels and share messages from the beneficiaries of our projects. All donations, of any amount, are always very welcome.
Please support us at www.equalaqua.org/donate
EQUAL AQUA UGANDA - ANNUAL REPORT 2022
Volunteer with us
We are always looking to expand our volunteer base, inviting applications from a range of skillsets and all nationalities. This includes Project, Communications and Fundraising Officers, and also welcome general expressions of interest.
We cherish every person involved in Equal Aqua – whether volunteers, international partners or community members. We actively listen and learn from those around us and value each contribution. Team members are empowered to design and run their own projects, supported by the wider team.
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Thank You
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UK Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) - 1190730 Uganda Community Based Organisation - 749/2020
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