More than 800 students at Kworo High School in Pader District are set to benefit from improved sanitation following the commissioning of an Shs800 million water and sanitation project by Te-Kworo Foundation.
The project comprises three toilet blocks with 30 stances, water supply facilities and a wastewater treatment plant designed to improve sanitation at the school and reduce the cost of waste disposal. Construction began in October 2025 and was completed within one year.
Fiona Acayo Gifty, the school head girl, said the new facilities would reduce the time students previously spent queuing for toilets, allowing them more time to concentrate on their studies. “The school had very few toilets, and we sometimes had to wait for our turn. This affected the time we had for our studies,” Gifty said, thanking the foundation and its donors for the investment.
Philip Christopher Adonga, a construction engineer with Te-Kworo Foundation, said the school previously had only nine toilet stances for more than 800 students, making the facilities inadequate. He said the new infrastructure would also address challenges associated with transporting wastewater for disposal.
Previously, the school had to transport waste to Kitgum District, about 62 kilometres away, increasing sanitation management costs. The newly installed treatment plant comprises two anaerobic baffled reactors, sludge-drying beds, gravel filters and a maturation pond. It is designed to treat wastewater for possible reuse, including irrigation, provided it meets the required safety standards.
Pader District Water Officer Eng. Patrick Olanya said the absence of a wastewater treatment facility in the district had forced institutions to transport waste to Kitgum for disposal. “The long distance increases the cost of disposal and could lead some waste handlers to dump waste in unsafe places,” Olanya said.
He asked the foundation to consider allowing other institutions and residents to use the facility to reduce the distance and cost of wastewater disposal. Pader Town Council urban chairperson Kilama Wod-acholi said the council would engage the foundation to discuss how the community could access the treatment plant.
Te-Kworo Foundation Executive Director Alice Achan said the project was intended to improve sanitation at the school, particularly for girls, and urged students and school management to maintain the facilities properly. Achan said the foundation was also ready to discuss with district leaders how other institutions and residents could benefit from the treatment plant.
She added that the foundation and district authorities would work towards a memorandum of understanding to guide access to and management of the facility. Obua Militon, the foundation’s deputy executive director, also urged the school to maintain the facilities to ensure they serve students for a long time.
The foundation’s board chairman, Bishop Emeritus Johnson Gakumba, encouraged the school to use the facilities to improve hygiene and explore opportunities to generate income through waste management. Jane Gvover, representing Te-Kworo Foundation Australia, thanked the partners and engineers who contributed to the project. She encouraged the students to work hard and become role models for girls in Northern Uganda.
Samuel Okwera Ojok, representing Pader District Chairperson Alfred Akena, pledged continued support from the district leadership. In his speech, Akena thanked Achan for strengthening cooperation between the foundation and Pader District Local Government. He also commended the Australian donor for its continued support and acknowledged the partnership between Uganda, Australia and the foundation.
Akena welcomed the investment, noting that improved water and sanitation services contribute to the country’s development goals. The commissioning was attended by district leaders, school administrators, students and community members. The foundation and district authorities are expected to discuss arrangements for extending access to the treatment plant to other institutions and residents, potentially reducing wastewater disposal costs across Pader District-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
