Ishywa Island: A New Journey Begins

Ishywa is an Island that is located in Kivu lake at Nkombo sector, Rusizi District. It has only one clean water source which is near Kivu lake. People mostly use Kivu lake as source of water since the borehole is partially working and each household is only allowed to fetch water once per day.

During drought seasons last year, Ishywa island counted 49 cases of cholera and most of them died due to the long trajectory of being transferred to the nearby health center. When we arrived at the Ishywa post of health center they were waiting for the results of a patient that they thought was suffering from cholera. This means the water borne disease, cholera, is a dangerous consequence of unsafe water found on this island.

Ishywa island counts about 2600 people and 457 households, which is increasing since the youth is large in number. There is one secondary school and one primary school and both hold around 600 students. The schools share one 10,000 L rain water tank which not enough. The people of Ishywa island argue that this is due to lack of access to clean and safe water.

Water Access Rwanda seeks to be a solution provider in this new journey which begins at Ishywa island by providing access to simple, affordable and durable clean water. The people of Ishywa island have promised to remind each other on the importance of this for they know what it costs to have boreholes with clean and safe water close by.