ZimWASH: addressing the water and sanitation needs of the rural poor in the context of HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe.

Timeframe: 2006 - ongoing

Partners:

              UNICEF Zimbabwe
              Mvuramanzi Trust
              Institute of Water and Sanitation Development (IWSD)
              National Action Committee (NAC) for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation
              IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre.

Summary

The Zimbabwe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (ZIMWASH) project seeks to build the capacity of civil society and local government in Zimbabwe in the formulation of strategic plans to support sustainable integrated water, sanitation and hygiene services that address the needs of the rural poor, especially those infected and affected by HIV and AIDS. Implementation of the project is being carried out in six districts covering five of the ten provinces in Zimbabwe. The districts involved are Hwange, Bulilima, Mangwe, Chegutu, Zaka, and Chipinge.

 
Specific objective

To strengthen capacity of civil society and local government in the 6 pilot districts in planning, implementation, management, and support of sustainable integrated water, sanitation and hygiene services that address the needs of rural men, women and children, especially those people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS

Rationale

 

1. The project aims to directly improve the health and livelihoods of 1 000 000 disadvantaged people, particularly people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children (OVC), through sustainable infrastructure provision for improved multiple water use services, sanitation facilities and hygiene education.

 

2. To generate and share information on appropriate technologies and methodologies, including guidelines and tools, that will allow sector agencies, especially civil society and local government, to better develop and support the management of sustainable multiple water use services, sanitation and hygiene in the context of HIV and AIDS.

 

3. To develop the capacity of civil society, local government institutions, community based organisations and households in the planning, implementation, management of and support to rural multiple use of water, sanitation and hygiene services.

 

It is one of the projects selected recently for funding by the European Union Water Facility (EU-WF) and is co-financed by UNICEF Zimbabwe. The project will run for five years. Assessments to evaluate the capacity of the local government structures and other key players in water and sanitation service provision have been done and work to build the required capacities is commencing beginning of 2008.

 

For more information please visit the web site of the project.