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The Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) yesterday handed over a newly constructed health and sanitary facility to Oleni Primary School in Arua District. The facility was constructed with funding from URSB and other partners to support the over 1,000 pupils whose only sanitary facility was run down posing a health challenge to the children’s wellbeing after the re-opening of educational institutions from the COVID-19 related lockdown.
Initiated by the URSB Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Committee chaired by Vincent Katutsi, the project was executed together with partners; MMAKS Advocates, Byenkya Kihika & Co. Advocates, ORTUS Advocates, SIPI Law Firm, Grand Global Hotels, Remmings Foods, Almid Clean Services and Britannia Allied Industries under the URSB annual CSR community support initiative, with technical support from Arua District Local Government.
At a cost of UGX 21.5Million, the health and sanitary facility consists of 5 ventilated improved pit latrines (VIP); 2 for the male pupils and 2 for female and 1 for the physically challenged specifically designed to support easy access for disabled pupils. Additionally, a water tank was set up for hand cleaning after use.
The ultra-modern facility was handed over today in a ceremony held at Oleni Primary School in Vurra County, Arua District, presided over by the Arua Resident District Commissioner (RDC), representatives of the District health, sanitation and education offices, local area leadership, school management committee and the URSB management led by Alex Anganya, the Deputy Registrar General.
In his remarks, the RDC, Ham Ezama Muzamil extended his appreciation towards URSB for supporting Government’s services provision efforts through extending their Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives to the primary school.
“Oleni primary school is supporting education of many school-going children in Awika parish and beyond. I, therefore, applaud URSB and its partners for choosing to support this school by constructing this VIP facility that will positively impact the health of the pupils,” said Ezama.
While handing over the facility, Alex Anganya, the URSB Deputy Registrar General expressed URSB’s commitment towards supporting Government initiatives to improve service delivery not only through registration services, but also uplifting the lives of the citizens in areas of operation.
“Corporate social responsibility is a major component of our 5-year strategic plan as URSB. We believe that as a Government agency, giving back to the community in other ways creates shared value between us and the people we serve,” Anganya said, “We also thank our partners who worked with us to make the lives and education of these very young citizens better.” Anganya added
URSB on a yearly-basis has been identifying and supporting critical community needs in the areas of health, education, empowerment through their CSR initiatives. In 2019, Gulu primary school physically challenged pupils in Northern Uganda were beneficiaries of this initiative where over 16 wheel chairs to aid their easy mobility to school, while in 2021, URSB provided scholastic items, food and vocational skills accessories to over 140 former street children under rehabilitation at Children Restoration Outreach in Mbale.