Lake Bunyonyi Rainwater Catchment

I spent one week at another ACTS project site collecting data to write a project proposal for rainwater catchment for communities in the hills that have a very long hike to get water from the lake. Some of the longest water treks is 4 hours return. I estimated about a 500m elevation gain for the highest communities. This is quite a hike with a 20L jerry can of water.

Lake Bunyonyi is a large lake outside the city of Kabale in the southwest corner of Uganda. It is about 2000m elevation and one of the few lakes in Africa that has no parasites and therefore it can be swam in. ACTS started an eco-tourism camp on Bushara Island here about 15 years ago and formed the Lake Bunyonyi Development Co. (LBDC) which is independant of ACTS. ACTS is not involved in the tourist camp anymore but still sends two interns to work in the surrounding communities with health and agriculture. They live on the island. It seems like water shouldnt be a problem in this area but some communities are a surprisingly long way from water. Luckily, the area has the second highest rainfall in the country, around 1,000mm a year. Overall I think I visited 14 communities in which 38 catchments were proposed. It was more than I had expected. I think the project, if completed all at once, would cost like $60,000 or $70,000 Canadian.

At the Lake Bunyonyi dock on arrival







A few dugout canoes on Bushara Island











A lady with ACTS who is here for two months gave 25 goats to locals in this community






After the goat giving, an orphan group supported by the LBDC performed for us






A view south. The dirt road leads to Rwanda and the hills in the back of the picture are in Rwanda





After church (yes I sometimes have to go to church, its work related) we were taken into a dark room where we had lunch and then started drinking this strange brew called sogrum poridge. I dont know much about it but it takes like a bad batch of u-brew, has a lot of grain in it, and is somewhat alcoholic




Dugout canoes are the primary mode of transport on the lake





A view of the lake from one of the communities we visited.







The girls have a rope swing near their house on Bushara Island










The kids in this community were especially crazy. I dont think theyd had any white people in the community before because to get there was a boat ride followed by an 1.5 hour hike.


Rain over Lake Bunyonyi, from one of the highest communities


Heavy rain on my last day in Kabale. The roads were all flooding. I saw a guy on a bike get completely soaked by the wake of a car, which myself and several locals on the sidewalk had a good laugh at.

Nyakigyera Water Reservior Tank

The project is going well, the 24,000L reservoir tank is almost complete. I have been away from the project site for a little over a week. I was away at another project site evaluating potential rainwater catchment projects (see post above). The reservoir tank is almost finished and work has started on leveling the site of one of the two sediment tanks which is located near the spring source, which exists for any particles in the water to settle out.

Raben, one of the construction crew members, carries a 50 kg (110lb) bag of cement up the hill. This is by far the heaviest thing I have seen carried on someones head.






It takes a lot of people and a lot of effort to get the large quantity of construction materials up the hill to the project site.



The three outlet pipes are put in place. One pipe is for the main line supplying the water, one pipe is for washing out the tank, and the third pipe will attach to the second reservoir tank that will be beside this one.





Mixing the concrete: sand, aggregate, and cement powder









The concrete is levelled using a long board and a level






The completed concrete foundation pad






Once the concrete pad has set, a circle with a 2.1 meter inside radius is scratched into it and the brick laying begins





Bricks being carried up the hill by a local community member









Everyone on the crew has a role in the brick laying process that I think is based on seniority on the crew





This was the where the tank was before I left a week ago. The 2 meter high wall is almost finished now.

Nyakigyera Project Site

I have settled into project life and have spent the last 2 weeks at the camp at Nyakigyera. I have come into the city for the weekend to take care of a few things. Life at camp is good. Its very slow and easy going compared to what I'm used to. If it rains, we dont work, which is a pleasent change. We have begun working on one of two reservoir tanks for the project. This is the most time consuming part of the project construction. We will begin putting the pipe into the ground after the Christmas break and the tank should be complete by then. So far the site has been levelled (its on the side of a hill) and preparation has been done for pouring a concrete pad which should take place tomorrow. Once that is complete, brick work will begin.

Nothing to exciting to report. Camp life is pretty basic. We eat pretty much the same thing for every meal: rice, beans, posho (basically cooked dough), matoke (Mashed plantains), peanut sauce, cabbage. We can expect any 3 of these at any given meal and breakfast is whatever is left over from the dinner the night before. Friday we have meat and this last friday they bought a goat and killed it. Friday night we had the meat and Saturday lunch was all the rest including the stomach and other interesting parts. I passed. We spend most of the time playing cards and I've done a lot of reading.

Less than 2 weeks til the November off. We are going rafting at the source of the nile, Jinja, and sending some time in Kampala.


I have spent more time over here swinging a pick-ax and doing labour jobs than anything related to engineering. Most of the engineering is complete plus these guys are pros and know what theyre doing without any input from us.

Most construction crew looksing at pictures of themselves at a recent visit to Queen Elizibeth National Park




Bored at night playing with my camera. Here the shutter is open for 15 seconds while i swing my headlamp in circles with the office tent in the background.



The work ethic here resembles hockey. They bring at least twice the number of people that can work at one time, than work full out for as long as they can, and then rest while someone else works


Charles, one the members of the construction team, listening to his portable radio.








At the camp we spend most of the free time playing cards. The Africans play cards with more passion than I have ever seen, slamming the cards on the table, trash talking, and erupting in laughter at each others misfortune.

This a local guy near the tank site. He is digging a latrine and is about 10 feet deep. The hole is barely wide enough for him to fit but he's excavated it perfectly.







Once the site was levelled, rock was brought up the hill, broken to size, and layed flat. This will be the foundation for the pad which will be poured next.




All the construction materials are brought up to the reservoir site by the locals. Sand and rock have been brought up so far. Water, cement, and bricks will also be carried up. There are 12 cells which will be served by the project and 2 cells are scheduled to work each day.




The sand slowly accumulates










The rebar is cut and tied by the construction crew for the pad construction






On Saturday a lot of kids came and helped bring material up the hill. Again, the kids love to see themselves in the digital camera.





The kids take a break to play cards at the work site









This is the most recent stage of the project. The pad has been levelled, rock layed as a foundation, rebar prepared, and the aggregate and sand carried up the hill to the site. The pad will be poured tomorrow.



This is one of the valleys that will be served by the water project