UBL on Wednesday launched a sanitation project that will see the brewery construct public sanitation facilities for the residents and traders of Port Bell and Kirombe areas in the Nakawa Division. Present at the ground breaking ceremony was Nakawa MP Micheal Kabaziguruka and Nakawa Mayor Ronald Balimwenzo.

The residents and fishermen at the landing site had poor sanitary conditions as the only public toilet in the area was destroyed in 2008 and the community has gone without any since then. The brewery had planned to construct toilet blocks for the community earlier on but the community couldn’t identify and avail suitable land to house the units until now.

The 3 months project which is part of UBL’s “Water of Life” initiative will cost UGX 300 Million. The project will not only reduce water pollution in the area but also decrease the rampant hygiene-related disease outbreaks amongst the residents, traders, and fishermen of the port bell and Kirombe villages.

Officiating at the groundbreaking ceremony at Port bell landing site, Diageo’s- the UK-based parent company for Uganda Breweries; Global Director for Sustainable Development, David Croft reaffirmed the company’s commitment to improving the livelihoods of the communities Diageo and all its subsidiaries operate in.

“We believe our businesses are at the very heart of the communities in which we work, and we have a responsibility to create shared value – for our shareholders, our people who work so hard to make our business successful, and for the wider society that enables our business to flourish and grow.” David Croft said.

Each modern facility to be constructed will be comprised of: 4 urinals for men, 2 male toilets, 1 bathroom, and 1 male seat-toilet for disabled persons, 2 female toilets, 1 bathroom and 1 female seat-toilet for disabled persons with over 15,000 beneficiaries.

According to UBL’s Corporate Relations Director, Charity Kiyemba, Despite UBL having done several and bigger community projects across the country, the company has always felt indebted that none of them have been this close to home.

“They say Charity begins at home, today we are so proud that we are doing something significant for this community with whom we share a history that spans over 70 Years. We hope that this intervention will help address the challenges that the residents and the surrounding community have been facing,” Charity said.

The guest of honor at the groundbreaking, Ronald Balimwezo Nsubuga the Mayor Nakawa Division commended Uganda Breweries for the initiative of protecting and improving the health of Ugandans.

He noted that new facilities will lead to improvement in the working conditions of the community at both Port bell and Kirombe.

‘Poor sanitation and hygiene hold back social and economic development through negative impact on health, education, and livelihoods. As the government, we ought to work with the private sector more often to improve the livelihood of Ugandans. This gesture by UBL is a demonstration of a good responsibility that should be emulated by other business entities.”