Today, UEGCL launched Phase II of the Isimba Life Jacket Initiative, distributing life jackets to fishing communities around the 183 MW Isimba Hydropower Plant in Kayunga District.
The initiative, implemented in partnership with local leaders, is aimed at raising awareness about water safety and encouraging fishermen to wear life jackets whenever they are on the reservoir. While the water surface may sometimes appear calm and safe, conditions around hydropower reservoirs can be deceptive. Strong and changing currents, particularly around water intake and discharge areas, can create hazardous conditions that may not be visible from the surface.
Fishermen who venture onto the water without life jackets are at greater risk of drowning if their boats capsize, they fall overboard or are caught off balance by unexpected water movement. In an emergency, even strong swimmers can struggle to stay afloat or reach safety when affected by currents, exhaustion or panic.
Through the Life Jacket Initiative, UEGCL is promoting a simple but critical safety message: a calm-looking reservoir does not necessarily mean calm water beneath the surface. Wearing a life jacket provides an essential layer of protection and can make the difference between life and death in an emergency.
The campaign reinforces UEGCL’s commitment to promoting safer livelihoods, protecting lives and strengthening the wellbeing of communities living and working around its hydropower installations.
