Group photo of particpants.

Credit: WaterAid/James Kimibya

29 November 2011

The 6th Rural Water Supply Network (RWSN) has opened here in Kampala attracting more than 500 participants from 46 countries.

RWSN is a global knowledge sharing network for cost effective service delivery models, technologies and approaches for rural water supply.

The forum has come at a time when world governments are wondering what to do for the 900 million people, or more, that have only limited access to safe and sustainable domestic water supply services by 2015.

Progress on the Millennium development Goals has been slowest in low income

From the left: Richard Carter and representatives from the line ministry of Southern Sudan, Minister of Water and Environment Uganda Hon. Maria Mutagamba and minister from Ethiopia.

Credit: WaterAid/James Kimibya

countries. According to UNICEF 7 out of the 9 people without an improved drinking water source live in rural areas. While on the other hand, investment in the sub sector in most sub Sahara countries is out stripped by rapid population growth.

In light of the above, participants in the conference are here focusing on how to make rural water more accessible to the vulnerable communities by reflecting on the myths that hinder of rural water supply and learn from each other.

Richard Carter (WaterAid), the chairman Rural Water Supply Network opened the forum:

Richard Carter,chairman Rural Water Supply Network.

Credit: WaterAid/James Kimibya

“the forum presents a fantastic opportunity to move forward, recognising but not dwelling on short comings of how we have done things in the past while moving forward and chanting the next step.”

Video link 

Key messages and solutions from the forum will be taken to the 6th World Water Forum in Marseille in March 2012.