Young leaders in Katovu Town Council, Lwengo District, organized a sanitation exercise to address waste management challenges exacerbated by seasonal rains.
Young leaders in Katovu Town Council, Lwengo District, have organized a major sanitation exercise to address worsening waste management challenges in their community. The initiative comes as seasonal rains exacerbate public health risks from accumulated garbage and poor drainage systems.
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Sudais Kazibwe Muyanja and Richard Kaijuka, the youth organizers, explained their motivation: "This effort demonstrates our generation's commitment to community development. We want to prove that young people remain relevant contributors to their hometowns' progress." The campaign specifically targets waste hotspots that have become breeding grounds for diseases.
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Jovia Naturinda, a health worker at Katovu Health Centre III, praised the initiative while highlighting a persistent challenge: "Landlords' refusal to provide sanitation facilities for tenants remains a major problem leading to widespread open defecation." She emphasized that structural solutions are needed alongside temporary clean-ups.
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Area leaders including Hamza Ssempijja and Bena Ngabire expressed admiration for the youth's initiative, noting that they had struggled for years to implement similar sanitation programs. "These young people have achieved what we've been planning for ages," Ssempijja remarked.
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Other young participants cited various reasons for joining the campaign, including personal pride in their community, concerns about public health, and the desire to create a cleaner environment for future generations. The activity has sparked conversations about sustainable waste management practices and ongoing youth engagement in local governance.
