Cyabugurwe Water Well – Kibaya, Bunagana

Cyabugurwe is an open water well also found in Kibaya village (or after Kibaya village) as one is heading towards Gihuranda via Kibaya. Kibaya Village is in Bunagana Town Council, Bufumbira South. Cyabugurwe is seasonal, a little wide, shallow, and open, which makes it favorable for both people and cows! Yes, people and cows!

Interestingly, because the water is shared between people and cows, sometimes especially during a bit of dry weeks when rain is not heavily diluting it or replenishing it, it usually turns green, reflecting the color of cowdung (cow’s fecal matter). And yet, even in that state, people would fetch it, and drink it, most times unboiled!

There is another thing! Children could swim in the same waters! Well, since the well is located a little bit far away from Kibaya Village homes, is quiet open and shallow, it lacks close supervision and maintanence that closer seasonal wells like Agakingo or Gakingo enjoy (ed). As a result, children coming to fetch water would swim in it as well.

Most of these manners have changed. However, it is still possible to find children swimming in open water wells in Kisoro. And, yes, cows still drink from this seasonal well.

Cyabugurwe is mostly considered when closer and small water wells such as Gakingo have dried up. However, Cyabugurwe also does not last for long in dry seasons since it is relatively small, shallow, open to evaporation, and indeed shared by cows.

In general, it is another amazing water well. In addition to swimming, children play football, play hide and seek, and other child games when they go to fetch water from this well, most times taking longer hours before returning to their homes, forcing their mothers to prepare some punishments when they finally return. That is the Cyabugurwe that I know!