**A N A W A R D - W I N N I N G I N T E R N A T I O N A L N G O**
## **A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 2 3**
**UK Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) - 1190730 Ugandan Community Based Organisation (CBO) - 749/2020**
**Executive Summary**
**Access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) is a human right. When billions lack proper WASH facilities and knowledge, we do not have a liveable planet. While progress is being made, in Uganda 10 million people still lack access to clean water, 35 million don’t have a proper toilet, and 33 children die from water borne diseases each day. This inequality has devastating impacts on health, education and employment outcomes, especially for women and girls. The time has come for us to drive real change.**
**In 2023 EAU expanded its work in ending WASH inequality to enable shared prosperity on a liveable planet. After four years of our grassroots work, we have the expertise, capacity and tools to scale up impact across Uganda.**
**Our achievements would not have been possible without the generous financial and advisory support of our partners like Bukedea Local Government, Festival Medical Services, Geoff Herrington Foundation, Kitchen Table Charities Trust and many others.**
## **Abel Odeke**
**Managing Director**
**Thank you and please help to reach more communities in Uganda in 2024.**
**It is clear that WASH conditions have been majorly neglected in our communities – and are critical in the context of gender and economic recovery.**
**A big thanks to all of our sponsors, supporters and partners. Thanks to your efforts, the communities which we work with will benefit massively, especially the young women and girls.**
## **Jovia Namihanja**
**Project Officer**
**Equal Aqua Uganda**
**Kampala and London**
## **Trustees Report**
**EAU’s third year of operations as a registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) in the UK has seen significant progress in a number of areas. The fundraising team is to be hugely congratulated on more than doubling the target set for the year. We were very fortunate in receiving repeat donations from several grant giving organisations, which suggests we are doing something right!**
**This additional income has enabled our work in Uganda to expand and improve with two significant developments. Firstly EAU has been able to purchase two Interlocking Soil Brick (ISSB) machines and, working with partners, trained our construction team in their use in the building of water tanks which are more robust and long lasting. These machines have also been used in progressing our WASH abilities with the construction of seven latrine blocks in schools. We are very grateful to our friends at Haileybury Youth Trust (HYT) who shared the necessary skills with EAU’s construction team.**
**This expansion in workload has been made possible by the dedication of both the Uganda team and also our international volunteers in Europe and around the world who provide the essential ‘back office’ skills of fundraising, financial and project management, communications, monitoring and reporting. As a result, the Trustees would like to extend our gratitude to these volunteers who continue to selflessly give their time to ensure that we keep working towards tackling WASH inequalities in Uganda.**
**We look forward to continuing to support this work in the coming year. We would also like to very much thank our fellow Trustee Dr Cecilia Oyet who, as a result of other commitments, has had to resign from the board of trustees. Her wise counsel on the Board of Trustees will be missed.**
**Equal Aqua Uganda**
**Kampala and London**
## **In 2023 we increased our ambition with new Vision, Mission and Objectives**
**Our Vision Our Mission**
**We will become a leading organisation in Uganda in addressing inequality in WASH, and interrelated issues of gender and sustainability**
**We will achieve this by working with partners and local communities to develop the required skills, knowledge and practical interventions**
## **Primary Objectives**
**To improve access to safe and sustainable WASH for those facing the greatest inequalities in Uganda**
**1**
**To strengthen the participation of local communities in WASH, in particular women and girls, and displaced people.**
**2**
**To take action to protect the natural environment, reduce pollution and tackle climate change**
**3**
**Key Outcomes 2023**
**people with improved access to safe water**
**people with people with people with improved improved WASH improved menstrual sanitation knowledge & skills hygiene knowledge**
**trees planted, tackling climate change & biodiversoty**
**jobs in plastic bottles sustainable upcycled, construction protecting the created environment**
**kg of CO** ₂ **avoided via sustainable construction**
**Equal Aqua Uganda**
**Kampala and London**
## **Change Stories 2023**
## **Miroi Rock School**
**Before: The 1,100 boys and girls at Miroi Rock school shared a single, dilapidated pit latrine. This was completely inadequate for their sanitation and hygiene needs. This WASH inequality lead to severe health issues and negatively affected education outcomes.**
**1,138 29 62 students staff disabled**
**Intervention: Latrine**
**After: "I thank Equal Aqua. You have offset a great burden on the school. We don’t take this for granted.**
**This pit latrine is very innovative. Now we have good sanitation we can prioritise education. These are the best facilities I have seen in Uganda - they can last many years.**
> **In the district we have 98 primary District schools. You are welcome to work Education with us. What you are doing is in line**
> **with the objectives of the Officer Government." Bukedea District**
**Bunambutye Refugee Camp 3,812 2,081 271 refugees children disabled Intervention: water tank**
**Before: Over 200,000 Ugandans have been displaced by climate change through flooding, drought and landslides. Bunambutye has the first official climate refugees in East Africa. Their lack of proper WASH is causing health crises, including an outbreak of cholera.**
**After: "We had to walk for one hour each day to fetch water from a borehole that we shared with the community. Now our school has water so we don’t need to worry and can focus on our studies.**
**We use the water for drinking, washing clothes, flushing toilets and watering the trees that we planted with Equal Aqua.**
**Headboy Primary School, Bunambutye**
**On behalf of the students here we thank Equal Aqua. Weebale nyo!”**
**Equal Aqua Uganda**
**Kampala and London**
## **Change Stories 2023**
## **St. David Primary**
**354 39 14 students staff disabled Intervention: Latrine**
**Before: The existing pit latrine at St David Primary school was full, lacked proper access for those with disabilities, and the school did not have funds available for a new latrine. It was also located on the periphery of the school grounds and therefore a safety risk for students.**
**After: Mr Akol the director of the school visited today to say thank you for the latrine.**
**This is what he had to say: “the ISSB Latrine project is an amazing project which I had never seen before.**
**I really want to call upon the community to embrace such a technology because communities are able to build affordable housing. In Headmaster fact my next class room block has to St. David School be constructed using ISSBs.”**
## **Headmaster**
**Equal Aqua Uganda**
**Kampala and London**
## **Menstrual Hygiene**
**Nearly a quarter of Ugandan school girls aged between 12 and 18 drop out of school when menstruation begins (Education and Sports Ministry of Uganda, 2019). Reasons for this include lack of proper facilities and products, and societal taboos.**
**613 people undertook our menstrual health curriculum.**
**This statistic is exacerbated in displacement and low income contexts which often lack feminine health infrastructures. In 2023, EAU focussed on upskilling refugees.**
**EAU opened discussions around puberty, gendered norms, and the challenges faced by girls living in the camp.**
**We also taught how to make reusable sanitary pads - an affordable and sustainable option for the girls to help manage their menstruation.**
**Outputs**
**613 people with improved MHM skills and knowledge**
**community dialogue and breaking down MHM taboos**
**Outcomes**
**improved hygiene, reducing health & safety risks**
**improved school attendance for girls**
**Impacts**
**Equal Aqua Uganda**
**Kampala and London**
## **WASH Skills Training**
**Rural communities in Uganda often lack basic WASH products and skills. This creates WASH inequalities and detrimental health outcomes.**
**1,074 people completed our WASH skills training**
**EAU's specialist trainers delivered our WASH skills training for a women’s youth group in Dokolo, Eastern Uganda. This included how to make liquid soap, bar soap, shampoo, petroleum jelly (vaseline) and reusable sanitary pads.**
**Our workshops empowered the learners to apply these skills – providing essential products for their families and communities, and training others, thus driving sustainable outcomes.**
**We concluded with business skills – teaching trainees how to source materials, market their products, and establish good business models. This provided the skills and knowledge for the participants to commence WASH-related businesses.**
## **Outputs**
**1,074 students with improved WASH skills 12 WASH businesses created**
## **Outcomes**
**improved hygiene, reducing health risks**
**sustainable employment opportunities**
## **Impacts**
**Equal Aqua Uganda**
**Kampala and London**
## **Environmental Impact**
**Equal Aqua intertwines WASH initiatives with a commitment to environmental stewardship, executing a comprehensive strategy for ensuring clean water access while actively contributing to the preservation of nature.**
**2,800 trees planted**
**We are dedicated to creating extensive tree plantations in Uganda, where many areas have suffered from extensive deforestation:**
**Biodiversity Enhancement: our initiative involves the strategic planting of 25 native species and 5 commercial fruit trees to foster biodiverse ecosystems.**
**Water Quality Optimization: trees, strategically positioned as natural filters, play a pivotal role in reducing evaporation and improving water quality.**
**Environmental Awareness: we used our platform to galvanise community action to restore and preserve our environment.**
## **Outputs**
**25 native trees planted**
**3 acres of agricultural land thriving with nature**
**Outcomes**
**Enhanced environmental resilience Ecological awareness & education in communities**
**Impacts**
**Equal Aqua Uganda**
**Kampala and London**
CHARITY COMMISSION
FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
Independent examinerfs
report on the accounts
Section A
Independent Examiner's Report
Report to tho truoto081
m•mbor• of
C.liafily Name
EQUAL AQUA
On account• for the yo•r
•nd•d
YE 3110312023
Charlty no
Ilf any)
1190730
S•t out on pag•8
{rOrnbr Its kn¢hN10 p¥go nwiborn r .Iddllbnal OhtslI
I report to th8 trustee8 on my examlnation of the account8 of the above
charity ('Ihe Tru8t') for the year ended 3111212023.
Ro8ponslbllltl0• and A8 the charity trusle88 of the Tru8t, you are respon8lble for the preparatlon
bas18 of report of the account8 In accordance with the requirement8 of the Charlll88 Aot
2011 ('the Act.).
I report in respect of my èxamination of the Trust's accounts carried out
under section 145 of the 2011 Act and In carrying oul my examination, I
have followed the applicable Dlrections glven by the Charity Comml88ion
under Section 145(5)(b} of the Act.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have
come to my altentlon in connection with the examination which give8 m8
cau8e to believe thal in, any material re$pecl'.
accounting record8 were not kept In accordance with 8ection 130 of
the Act or
the accounts do not accord with the accountlng record8
Indopondont
•xamlner'8 statement
I have no concerns and have come across no other matter8 In connectlon
wilh the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable
proper understandlng of the accounts to b8 reached.
Slgned:
Dat•:
2410612024
Name:
JEYAVATHANY LOGATHASAN
Relevant professlonal
quallflcation{•) or body
(If any):
IFA Meniber No.. 218635
Logan Accounlants Ltd
Addre••:
Milton Kw
n+1 Builn¢is Ctntrt, 5ull* J4
T*l., 07¥57 714050. Emoil. lvyn@loyoffllld.ro.k
Section B
Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highllght matters of concem (See CC32,
Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidance for
examiners).
IER
Octobor 2018
## **Financial Report**
**Equal Aqua, UK-registered CIO**
**Statement of Receipts and Payments**
**For the Period 1/1/23 to 31/12/23**
**The accounts were approved and authorised by the Equal Aqua Board of Trustees on 17 May 2023.**
**Signed on behalf of the Trustees of Equal Aqua**
## **Nishay Nathwani**
**Chair of the Board**
**Equal Aqua Uganda**
**Kampala and London**
## **2024 Forward Look**
**We have big plans for 2024 and beyond.**
**We are in the final stages of registering as a full NGO in Uganda. This will elevate our status in Uganda, open up the possibility of applying for Government grants, and mean that we can work with communities across all regions. We will increase our focus on tackling WASH inequalities for refugee groups in Uganda, whose numbers are increasing by the day.**
**2024 is the year in which we scale up our programmes in Eastern Uganda, serving those most in need. We will work in partnership with the local Ministry of Education to survey the 193 schools in the region and make interventions in locations with the most severe WASH inequality. We will also expand into other districts, with a focus on displaced peoples and those with disabilities.**
**We aim to improve access to WASH for 20,000 people, bringing our cumulative total of 50,000 people over our five year lifespan. We will be building a new training centre with ISSB technology to increase the number of people that we can upskill in our WASH skills and Menstrual Hygiene programmes. To support our environmental impact, we have a target of planting 10,000 indigenous trees**
**With your continued support we can make these into a reality.**
## **Support us**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
children spend on average two
hours per day collecting water in
Uganda
£20/
MONTH
for just £20 per month you can
ensure 200 children have clean
water in schools.
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **Transform lives**
**To have an enduring impact on more communities, please visit our website to set up a monthly donation**
**www.equalaqua.org/donate**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
do you want to provide access to clean
drinking water for famillies in Uganda?
£10/
MONTH
for just £10 per month, you can provide a Water filters
natural water filter for 10 families
**----- End of picture text -----**
**Equal Aqua Uganda**
**Kampala and London**
**P L E A S E C O N T A C T U S F O R F U R T H E R I N F O R M A T I O N**
**UG: +256787370875 UK: +447871144161**
**info@equalaqua.org**
**@equal.aqua Equal Aqua Uganda @equalaqua**
**www.equalaqua.org**
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