WASH Program

RHAC-Uganda’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Program is designed to improve health, dignity, and resilience by ensuring access to safe water, adequate sanitation, effective hygiene practices, and healthy environments for vulnerable communities. Our integrated approach recognizes that WASH is fundamental to disease prevention, quality healthcare, education, child protection, nutrition, and sustainable community development.

Our interventions are implemented in collaboration with government institutions, health facilities, schools, community structures, and development partners to strengthen local systems and improve the well-being of children, women, older persons, persons with disabilities, and economically vulnerable households.

 

 

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Program

Overview

At Raising Hope of African Child-Uganda (RHAC-Uganda), we believe that access to clean water, safe sanitation, and good hygiene is a basic human right and an essential foundation for healthy, productive communities. Through our WASH Program, we work to reduce the burden of preventable diseases, improve environmental health, strengthen infection prevention and control, and promote sustainable hygiene practices in schools, health facilities, and communities.

Our program supports Uganda’s National Development Agenda and contributes to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).

Our Areas of Intervention

  1. Hospital Indoor Air Quality and Infection Prevention

RHAC-Uganda promotes healthier healthcare environments by supporting initiatives that improve indoor air quality and strengthen Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures within health facilities.

Our interventions include:

  • Supporting proper natural and mechanical ventilation practices in healthcare settings.
  • Promoting clean and safe patient care environments.
  • Improving environmental hygiene within hospitals and health centres.
  • Supporting waste segregation and safe healthcare waste management.
  • Promoting hand hygiene compliance among healthcare workers, caregivers, and patients.
  • Supporting awareness on respiratory infection prevention and control.
  • Strengthening environmental cleaning practices that reduce healthcare-associated infections.

Improving indoor air quality contributes to safer healthcare environments for patients, caregivers, and frontline health workers while reducing the transmission of infectious diseases.

  1. School WASH Programme

Healthy learning begins with a healthy school environment. RHAC-Uganda partners with schools to improve access to sanitation and promote lifelong hygiene behaviours among learners.

Our School WASH interventions include:

  • Hygiene and sanitation education for pupils and teachers.
  • Handwashing promotion using soap and safe water.
  • Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) awareness and support for adolescent girls.
  • School sanitation and environmental cleanliness campaigns.
  • Formation and strengthening of School Health and WASH Clubs.
  • Safe drinking water awareness.
  • Community-led school clean-up activities.
  • Promotion of proper waste management and environmental conservation within school compounds.
  • Behaviour change communication on disease prevention.

These interventions help reduce absenteeism, improve school attendance, particularly among girls, and create healthier learning environments.

  1. Community-Based Hygiene Promotion

RHAC-Uganda works closely with community leaders, Village Health Teams (VHTs), volunteers, and local government structures to promote healthy hygiene practices at household and community levels.

Our outreach activities include:

  • Household hygiene education.
  • Handwashing demonstrations using soap and clean water.
  • Safe water handling and household water treatment education.
  • Community sanitation awareness campaigns.
  • Promotion of proper latrine use and maintenance.
  • Food hygiene and household environmental sanitation.
  • Solid and liquid waste management education.
  • Prevention of diarrhoeal diseases, cholera, typhoid, and other waterborne illnesses.
  • Community clean-up campaigns.
  • Behaviour change communication through community dialogues and awareness sessions.

Our community-centred approach empowers families to adopt simple, affordable hygiene practices that protect lives and improve overall public health.

  1. WASH for Palliative Care

RHAC-Uganda integrates WASH services into its Home-Based Palliative Care Programme to improve comfort, dignity, and quality of life for patients living with chronic and life-limiting illnesses.

Recognizing that many palliative care patients have weakened immune systems and require a clean caregiving environment, RHAC-Uganda supports families with essential hygiene materials and practical education.

Our interventions include:

  • Distribution of soap to households caring for palliative care patients.
  • Hygiene education for caregivers and family members.
  • Promotion of regular handwashing before and after patient care.
  • Household environmental cleanliness education.
  • Safe water storage and use.
  • Infection prevention practices within home-based care settings.
  • Caregiver support on maintaining personal and patient hygiene.
  • Community awareness on dignified and compassionate home-based care.

By integrating WASH into palliative care, we help reduce infection risks, improve patient comfort, support caregivers, and uphold the dignity of individuals receiving care at home.

Cross-Cutting Approaches

Across all WASH interventions, RHAC-Uganda integrates:

  • Health education and behaviour change communication.
  • Gender equality and social inclusion.
  • Child safeguarding and protection.
  • Community participation and ownership.
  • Climate-smart and environmentally sustainable practices.
  • Capacity building of local institutions and community volunteers.
  • Partnership with district local governments and health authorities.
  • Monitoring, learning, and continuous quality improvement.

Our Impact

Through our integrated WASH programming, RHAC-Uganda contributes to:

  • Reduced incidence of waterborne and hygiene-related diseases.
  • Improved infection prevention and control in health facilities.
  • Safer and healthier healthcare environments through better indoor air quality practices.
  • Improved school attendance and learner well-being.
  • Increased adoption of positive hygiene behaviours at household level.
  • Enhanced dignity and quality of care for home-based palliative care patients.
  • Stronger community resilience through improved sanitation and environmental health.

Our Vision for Healthy Communities

RHAC-Uganda envisions communities where every child learns in a safe and hygienic school, every family has the knowledge and resources to practice good hygiene, every healthcare facility provides a clean and healthy environment for patients and staff, and every person receiving palliative care can live with dignity, comfort, and compassionate support.

Through partnerships, innovation, and community engagement, RHAC-Uganda remains committed to advancing equitable access to quality Water, Sanitation and Hygiene services that improve health outcomes and transform lives across Uganda.