Good Samaritan Primary school located in Mulago III, East Nsooba, Kamwokya, Kampala on Friday October 2, 2020 received new and well-furnished sanitary facilities courtesy of Ruparelia Foundation and partners.
The facilities were built using proceeds from the Royal Ascot Goat Races 2019 held at Speke Resort Munyonyo in partnership with Tamarai investments ltd and Ghetto Research Lab also the project contractor.
The project will benefit 500 underprivileged pupils of Good Samaritan Primary school and residents in the neighborhood will also benefit from the toilet facility.
While handing over the project, Rajiv Ruparelia, one of the trustees of Ruparelia Foundation said the project was chosen due to its sustainability in nature and its positive impact on the environment while helping local community to earn a living through skills and knowledge transfer and to save the school from being shut down due to lack of sanitary facilities.
“This project is going to help very many children, girls and women to go back to school and it’s this facility that the whole community will benefit because now they have where to put the human waste,” Rajiv said.
He also explained that this project has helped to reduce plastic pollutants in Kamwokya slum area because plastic bottles have been collected and turned into bricks as a way of restoring beneficial uses of plastic waste management as outlined in the KCCA Waste Management act.
According to Rajiv, the Foundation plans to put in place 50 more projects like the one of Kamwokya across Uganda as a way of reaching to more communities while positively impacting the environment.
Patrick Mujuzi, the founder of Ghetto Research Lab, who is also the contractor, said he came in this slum area 12 years ago after completing his education from Kyambogo University.
“I found when the environment was at risk because of plastic wastes which were being disposed into the area and some were being carried by the running water,” Mujuzi said.
He added that through a friend, they thought of solution of building using plastic bottles the project he says is now employing 500 women in the area and men to earn a living.
Other funders included Tusker lager, Robbialac, Speke Resort Munyonyo, NTV Uganda, Sanyu FM and Goldstar insurance company.
This is part of Ruparelia Foundation mission of working to improve and promote health, education, sports, general welfare, relieve poverty, better human livelihood, support wild life and animal welfare and preservation of the environment by fostering partnerships.
The project construction which commenced on December 6, 2019 but delayed due to COVID- 19 pandemic was chosen due to its SUSTAINABILITY in nature and its positive impact on the environment while helping local community to earn a living through skills and knowledge transfer.
The Shs 50 million project was also aimed at saving the slum based school from being shut down due to lack of sanitary facilities.
The project was also meant to reduce Plastic pollutants in Kamwokya slum area, provide sanitary facilities to Good Samaritan Orphanage Primary School, improve hygiene and sanitation in the community, protecting and conserving the environment, restoring beneficial uses of plastic waste management as outlined in the KCCA Waste Management act.
According to the contractor, the project saw 13,200,000 plastic bags removed from the environment, 22,000 Plastic bottles recycled and used to make bricks to build the toilets, 500 pupils saved from school closure by health officials because of no sanitary facilities, 100 community members earned from building the structure, 50 Community members taught the skill of making the bricks by stuffing plastic bottles with plastic bags while 13.2 tons of plastic were recycled and 10 toilets built.
The Ruparelia foundation says along with its partners, it plans to put up 5 more projects like the one of Kamwokya across Uganda as a way of reaching more communities while positively impacting the environment.
Also 100 community members have earned from building the structure, 50 community members acquired skills of making bricks by stuffing plastic bottles with plastic bags while 13.2 tons of plastic were recycled and 10 toilets built.
