Improving Access to Safe Water and Sanitation in Machinga and Zomba

The expected intermediate outcomes for this project include: (i) improved health for women and men; (ii) increased productivity for women and men due to increased time savings and reduced illness; (iii) improved school attendance for girls and boys due to reduced illness; and (iv) improved patient and health service savings due to reduced illness.

Results achieved as of the end of the project (March 2017): (1) constructed 24 new shallow wells; (2) drilled 8 new bore holes; (3) rehabilitated or upgraded 62 existing water points (identified by the Ministries of Health and Water Development) – these provided 80,000 people in the targeted districts of Zomba and Machinga with access to clean and safe drinking water; (4) improved sanitation facilities by completing 132 Ventilated Pit Latrines serving 16,610 school children (also increasing the enrolment of girls by 16%) and constructing 1300 Aberloo latrines 21,880 people; (5) provided training on Community Based Management to 801 participants (64% or 513 women) on group dynamics, technical knowhow, sanitation and operation, and the maintenance fund; (6) established water point committees (with 64% women); which encouraged female leadership in these communities and in important decision making roles; (7) provided resources management training to 882 participants (65% women) on environmental impact, fundraising, and maintenance of constructed wells. These achievements helped 80,000 community members (40,981 female) in Zomba and Machinga to access to clean and safe drinking water; and increased participants’ knowledge of tree planting, better agricultural practices, protection of trees around water source, sanitation knowledge and habits, and other issues affecting the safety of the water supply.