The Ministry of Water and Environment, in collaboration with the European Union and KfW Development Bank, commissioned new water, sanitation, and education facilities at Yumbe Secondary School in Yumbe District on [date], part of a Shs3.2 billion project targeting school dropout and teenage pregnancy in Northern Uganda. The initiative, implemented under the Gender for Development Uganda (G4DU) programme, focuses on improving menstrual hygiene management and creating safe learning environments for students, particularly girls.
Representing the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Alfred Okidi, Assistant Commissioner for Urban Water and Sewerage Services Eng. Dr. Felix Twinomucunguzi emphasized that the project aims to empower adolescent girls by expanding access to inclusive education, sexual and reproductive health rights, and protection from gender-based violence. He highlighted that inadequate WASH facilities in Northern Uganda disproportionately affect girls’ health, dignity, and academic performance, noting that the project seeks to demonstrate scalable solutions for other schools.
Yumbe Secondary School Head Teacher Sarah Afusa reported significant improvements in the learning environment, including reduced classroom congestion and enhanced sanitation. Before the intervention, one latrine served 109 boys and another 82 girls, with no changing rooms for menstrual hygiene. The project added three classrooms, lowering the student-to-classroom ratio from 1:80 to 1:72, alongside solar installations, water tanks, and teacher training programs. Afusa noted a marked decline in pregnancies among students, attributing it to mentorship initiatives and support for vulnerable girls.
Catherine Angwec Agwai, Branch Manager of the Water and Sanitation Development Facility-North, revealed the broader programme covers 17 schools in Yumbe District, with Shs12 billion allocated for infrastructure. The Shs3.2 billion contract includes Yumbe Secondary School, Kuru Primary, Kuru Secondary, and Aringa Secondary, with the latter three nearing 90% completion. A separate water supply project for Yumbe Town Council is also in development, with construction expected by 2028 to stabilize access for the school and surrounding communities.
Karolina Hedstrom, Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Uganda, underscored education’s role in reducing dropout rates and fostering opportunities for youth. She cited testimonials from beneficiaries, stating that timely support can prevent students from leaving school. “This work matters because education is about building the future, not just structures,” she said.
Yumbe Chief Administrative Officer Thomson Obong acknowledged the project’s impact but stressed that only 11.4% of schools—17 out of 149—have received similar interventions. He called for expanded investment, particularly in underserved areas like Ariwa, where WASH facilities and educational infrastructure remain inadequate. Obong noted that 37% of girls in Yumbe face teenage pregnancy, compared to the national average of 24%, and just 12% of girls complete Primary Seven.
The commissioning highlights ongoing challenges in Yumbe, home to the Bidibidi refugee settlement, where factors like early marriage, gender-based violence, and poor WASH access contribute to high dropout rates. Stakeholders emphasized the need for sustained investment to address systemic barriers, with the Shs3.2 billion project serving as a model for replicating improvements in education and sanitation across the district.