We receive regular updates and reports from our excellent partner SAWA and are delighted to say that a great deal has been achieved over recent months. The community has become fully engaged and are recognising the importance and value of the WASH programme. They have been active in providing building materials and labour wherever they can, to support SAWA in building wells, installing pumps and upgrading latrines.
PICs of wells and latrines
Achievements include:
Renovation and improvement of existing wells
4 new wells drilled
Rope pumps installed on 8 previously open wells
Well and pump installed at Kibaoni Secondary School, Msamvu. This well is highly valued by the school and as form 3 student Dorica Kimaleta, 18 years of age, said “This well served us. We had to walk long distance in this mountainous land with a bucket on head it was painful to remember the hardship we endured. We are grateful to you, without your sincere support we could have lived that way until the day we complete our education. After this improvement students have enough time to study and teachers concentrate in classroom works. Lastly we have enough water in our toilets to support on toilet cleaning, classroom and general environment beautification. We have enough water for our dignity and privacy. We thank you beyond the limit, God bless you.”
· Thorough community-wide survey of latrine provision to provide baseline data for measuring improvement and to understand the extent of OD (Open Defecation).
· Tunguli Heath Centre staff toilet repaired and recommissioned (Mr Simon shared his excitement and a staff member said “we thanks SAWA for quality work done and also MM for continued support, indeed, before this intervention we were going back home to help ourselves which interrupted our service provision.”
· Supported completion of Msamvu Village Office toilet.
· Mobilisation of community to improve/build latrines.
· Tushikamane women’s groups engaged to strengthen the project.
All of the above are underpinned by the establishment of COWSO (Community Water and Sanitation Organisation) which is a major milestone for the project. COWSO is a statutory body to ensure local ownership and sustainability of the WASH project.