Buvule: Interview with a Community Member

Interview with a Community Member on UVP’s work in Buvule Village

Maggie: Good Morning Sir, we are interns from UVP and we would like to ask you a few questions. Could you spare about 15 minutes to answer them?

Village Man: Good Morning all! I am heading to the rice field but by 15 minutes shall be there

Maggie: Thank you kind sir..My name is Maggie Ashaba and my colleague is by names, Danson Ssajabi.

Danson: What is your name sir?

Village man: My name is Ibanda Nadomi Godfrey; I am a resident of Buvule Village.

Danson: Mr. Ibanda, have you ever heard of an organisation called Uganda Village Project (UVP)?

Mr. Ibanda: Yes, I have.  This project has been running in this village for two years now.

Danson: Oh, that is so great. However, like any other member of this community, you must have had expectations of UVP at the start of its work in this village. What were some of those expectations?

Mr. Ibanda: Indeed, I had many expectations of you people and they ranged from economic, political, social to health.

Maggie: Mr. Ibanda would you like to elaborate on these expectations.

Mr.  Ibanda; I expected to be taught and acquire new skills. I also expected UVP to bring about change in our community in terms of sanitation and hygiene.

Maggie: UVP runs a number of programmes, which offer several services based on its core health focuses. Which of these programmes is your favourite?

Mr. Ibanda: My favourite programme is the one, which deals with sanitation and hygiene in the community.

Danson: Do you mind sharing with us about the sanitation situation within the village before UVP started working in it?

Mr.Ibanda: The sanitation situation was not good at all. Pit latrines were few in number, open defecation was widely practiced, and a vast majority of the population lacked most of the standard sanitary facilities such as washrooms, plate stands and tippy taps. There was also limited access to clean and drinkable water.

Danson: Do you think there has been any improvement in the health of the community since UVP started working here?

Mr. Ibanda: But of course, there has been a tremendous improvement in health! The sanitation and hygiene in the village has changed greatly through the various education sessions on importance of different sanitary facilities such as pit latrines, tippy taps, washrooms etc. This in turn has lowered the incidence of diarrhoeal diseases among the people of Buvule. In addition, the various testing programmes that UVP coordinates such as testing for HIV/AIDS and Malaria enabling community members know their status and hence get treatment have contributed to the improvement of health within the community.

Maggie: How about people’s attitudes towards health, have they changed for the better?

Mr.Ibanda:  Their attitudes towards health are changing progressively. I say this because I see that people here are more willing to participate in health promotion activities than before because they know that the work UVP does is for their good.

Maggie: Am very glad to know that our work has been of so much benefit to this community, but I would like to know how you have benefited personally form UVP work.

Mr. Ibanda: Indeed, I have benefited a great deal. I have acquired knowledge and skills such as how to construct a tippy tap, which I have used to improve the sanitation, hygiene and health at my homestead. The borehole that was constructed by UVP  Buvule this year is quite close to my home. It has made it easier for me and my family members to access clean water for use at home. For this, I am extremely grateful. (Smiles)

Danson: Mr. Ibanda you have talked about acquiring knowledge, but if I may ask, have you tried to share the knowledge you have obtained?

Mr. Ibanda: Yes I do. Whenever I learn anything new regarding health, I try to put it into practice at my home and when visitors come by my home, they notice the change, which I admired by most. I take advantage of such moments to share with these people any knowledge I have acquired. I also take it upon myself to inform my neighbours.

Maggie: As we come to the end of this interview, do you have any recommendations for UVP, which could help us improve on our work in this village?

Mr Ibanda: I have just one recommendation; UVP should continue to conduct monitoring its work in the village to ensure that people do not neglect the knowledge and skills they taught.

Danson: Do you have any final remarks?

Mr. Ibanda: UVP has been of great importance within this locality. You people have done such a great work that has been largely responsible for the improvement in our community’s health. Thank you all so much and God richly bless you. UVP EWANGHALE!! (LONG LIVE UVP)

Maggie:  Thank you for your time