Rose Filira, a 33 year old left South Sudan for Uganda in 2016 due to the ranging civil war. She was settled in Bidi-Bidi Settlement,  Village IV– Yumbe  District in West Nile. 

Few days after she had been settled in Uganda, Rose was joined by her husband and the children and she is happy to live like a family again. 

Rose recounts the struggles they would go through to acesss water due to the high population of refugees.

‘Because of long quees at the water points, fights and quarrrels were inevitable and at times, I would go back home without water that struggle happening in vain,’ she recounts

When Oxfam and partners visited their village, Water Mission and Northern Umbrella registered community members who needed yard connections and their home was verified to ascertain the working conditions of their WASH facilities.

‘I was lucky that I had all the qualifications, I informed my husband that connection required us to pay 50,000UGX which he paid and we were connected. For the first time, I was able to see  me and my girls fetch water at home,’ Rose noted.

‘Since then, my daughters nolonger go to que for water and the adolescent boys who used to confuse them at water points don’t have access to them. My eldest daughter is now in primary seven which makes me proud,’’ she added.

With the utility transition and other community memebrs getting the yard connection, Rose says there will be  reduced ques, fights and quarrels at water points after the transition.

‘I am having my own water at home which gives ample time to prepare food for my children as they go to school and this makes me the happiest mom and I wish they complete their studies,’ she noted.

There is inconsistency in water which discourages other community members from paying for water and there are no spare parts for example we need a new water meter but we don’t know where to get it from despite us being able to afford. I wish Oxfam continues with the project so that other community members are able to water at their household.

While in South Sudan, Rose always wanted to learn hairdressing. ‘I wish to go for adult literacy so as to get a certificate in hairdressing and if possible a start-up kit for hair dressing so as to have my own saloon,’’ Rose and the husband are educating them to give them a better future. 

As part of its commitment to the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), Uganda is in the midst of transitioning the management of water supply systems in refugee settlements to national and regional utilities 

Since 2020 Uganda’s Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) has Gazetted selected refugee settlements, resulting in their water supply systems coming under the management of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), such as in Rwamwanja refugee settlements, or under the regional Umbrella Authority utilities, which has been carried out primarily in the West Nile region. 

Oxfam is working in partnership with GIZ, Water Mission, Northern Umbrella of Water and Sanitation, Area service provider (Hand Pump Mechanic Association – HPMA) Ministry of Water and Environment, and Hosting District in West Nile and Mid North( Adjumani, Arua, Yumbe, Nebbi, Madi-Okollo, Terego, Pakwach, Amuru, Kitgum, Pader, Agago, Lamwo, Otuke, Alebtong