A journey of more than 30 km took us to an area occupied by the community of Yil in Anyola Parish Atyak Sub-County Zombo District in the West Nile Sub-Region. #WhisperEyeNews
On our way from Paidha Town Council to the area, moving on a motorcycle was more hectic than walking on foot. The road connectivity to the area is so worrisome, It is laced with numerous potholes, stagnant waters and above all it’s narrow and bushy.
We made several stopovers to make way for trucks carrying farmers with their farm products all headed for Paidha Town Council’s main market.
On our way when we ran out of water, we had to drink a running water from a stream called Awer, which is the only source of water for the community in that area called Kalwang in Nebbi District. We got many kids drawing water using small Jerycans from this source notwithstanding.
I asked a girl of around 15 years old whether there was any alternative source of clean water but she replied calmly whilst smiling, ” This is our only water source here, even animals drink from it”.
All through our Journey, we encountered a series of hindrances due to poor and bushy roads.
We could easily count grass thatch houses on our way to the Yil area. But from the look of things, many people seem to be staying in the area. This was eminent by the large number of farmers going on with their usual farming activities.
What was a tough experience for us was crossing over an estimated 20-meter-long footbridge on the Nyagak River. The footbridge was locally made by locals using resources gathered locally and is the only crossing point to the area that we interested ourselves in visiting.
More than ten members of the community came with joy to welcome us after detecting our presence from afar, They stood across the river to welcome us whilst giving us encouragement to cross over the footbridge that is referred to by locals there as a “death trap”.
A fellow journalist crossed whilst I looked on, treading on the footbridge was more hellish, Any mistake either sends you to your grave or your survival is put on the scale of 1/10, but regardless, We Crossed slowly like a snail as the cheerful locals laugh and crack jokes at us.
That Nyagak footbridge was fixed with only four logs. The footbridge is narrow yet it’s more than 18 metres long.
Population
Yil village is located in Anyola Parish Atyak Sub Zombo District. Figures from the area LC1 Chairperson indicated that the area has a population of 2,244 with 374 households.
The community is said to have occupied the land for more than 20 years. They are from different ethnic backgrounds.
From our observation, There is no any health facility, school, market and good roads.
They have a local playground that they have been using as a polling station since 2006. This literally mean the place is well known by those in authorities.
The LC1 chairperson of Yil Phillip Okwonga Jawiambe said the community for years have been surviving by the grace of God. He added for years, Politicians would only come and give them “empty promises” of services like clean water, and road opening amongst others which would only end during the election campaign.
He has appealed for assistance from NGOs, well-wishers and the Government.
” We started staying here many years ago but we are only valued during the election period, we don’t have services here but politicians come here and give us promises that they don’t fulfil”. Okwonga said
A smile was brought on their face when Their area Member of Parliament Biyika Lawrence Songa extended some financial assistance to aid in their community work.
The footbridge crisis
Yil farming community with a population of more than 2000 people is surrounded by rivers and streams like Nyagak, Ojong, Yil, and Awer.
The Community were able to mobilize their resources locally and fix some footbridges which has brought some sigh of relief amongst the residents.
The most pressing issue for them is the plight of the “Nyagak Paa Bruno footbridge”
Nuru Wathum , The Chairperson of the Yil rural community directed his anger on the sorry state of the “Nyagak Paa Bruno” footbridge that connects them with Nebbi District, Paidha Sub County and Town Council.
This Nyagak Footbridge since 2007 has claimed the lives of 22 people according to him.
A typical example of reported lives lost on the footbridge was last year when two mothers drowned on the river whilst making attempts to cross it.
“I just call for the help from government, MPS, and NGOs amongst others. We don’t need anything big, we just need some materials such that we can fix the bridge on our own, we have the capability. I need to make it clear that since 2007, we lost 22 lives on that footbridge alone ” Nuru told this Publication before adding that ” if they can’t help us it’s ok, we shall wait for them during election time”.
Health Services
Yil farming community are totally disconnected from the Health services since the place has no any health facility In case of emergency.
When we visited that place, A mother had just given birth to a baby boy with the help of a traditional birth attendant.
The only health facility is Ther Uru Health Center II, which is more than 10 km away.
Another health facility is Azingu Health Center III which is in Nebbi District. For the community to access it, They must first cross over the Nyagak Footbridge which the community say is riskier at night in case of emergency.
Joyce Apio 58, an area resident almost lost their daughter-in-law when she experienced a miscarriage. She needed an emergency but the unavailability of health facilities coupled with poor road connectivity made the situation unbearable thank God she survived.
Apio said she doesn’t want the same thing to happen to someone else and this she believes can be curbed by extension of health facility to the area.
” I almost lost my daughter-in-law because of far off health facility, she lost a lot of blood after miscarriage, I just call upon our government to bring health facilities for us here, we are living here as if we are not human beings ” Apio noted
Jennifer Kasamba, a mother of 4 said what worries her the most is the issue of health facilities yet they are voters too.
” We vote in each election organised here but we are not valued, people are falling sick yet we don’t have any health facilities. Azingu Health Center III is in Nebbi District and we need to cross Nyagak Footbridge, it’s like hell here ” Kasamba told this Publication.
Education Crisis
Out of the 2,244 total population, the Yil farming community has 548 pupils of school-going age.
The community has launched their own community primary school called “Pangang Community School” which stops at the P.3 level. Those who teach in the school are locals with any secondary education level and they are paid by the community.
The only Public primary school called Nyadima Primary School in the same Sub-County of Atyak is more than 12 km away.
Many school-going children can’t access education against the backdrop of far-off schools and many Footbridges that are filled beyond their capacity when it rains.
Oryem Wilson 72 an area Resident said many people keep their children at home because of no schools.
” We don’t have options, we just keep our children at home or we push them to our community school which stops at P.3 level, The only government school of Nyadima is very far,” Oryem said.
Salotha Anirwoth 68 has appealed to the government to establish a market for them in the area. The only market is Abakamel which is very far for older persons like her.
Notwithstanding all the challenges they face, The community has a unique way of entertainment. They only have traditional xylophones that are played every evening and attract hundreds on a daily basis.
Much as it’s disconnected from other places, the unity amongst the community members makes them push things far. Every Saturday, No one goes to his or her garden, it’s a special day designated for community services.
The locals say notwithstanding the challenges they go through, they can’t abandon the place because of the fertile nature of the land. Through Movement in various homes, we were able to witness sacks of cassava, beans, maize and other food crops packed in the compound, That alone gave us a firm lead about the fertile nature of the area that the community members don’t dream of abandoning.
