Fifteen-year-old Elizabeth Mwedziwendira from Zaka district is among the millions of Zimbabweans benefiting from various Wash programmes being supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) in Zimbabwe in partnership with the inclusive government of Zimbabwe and the international donor community.
Unicef and the government of Zimbabwe have invested more than $60 million into the water sector alone since 2009 for the rehabilitation of both urban and rural Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (Wash) systems that have deteriorated over the years due to lack of funding, in continuing efforts to fight waterborne diseases.
In 2008, as the deterioration in the Wash sector took its toll Zimbabwe suffered the worst cholera outbreak in its history that claimed the lives of more than 4 000 people.
However, increased investment from Unicef through the support of the international donor community has greatly contributed to positive developments in the Wash sector.
While for many people having access to 40 litres of clean water a day is not much of big deal, for Elizabeth, this is nothing to be taken for granted; water remains a highly prized possession not to be wasted and misused.
Before a borehole was installed close to her home, Elizabeth used to travel daily about 8km to the nearest borehole in order to fetch around 40 litres of water.
Sometimes, because the family has no scotchcart of its own to enable her to fetch the water in bulk like other families, Elizabeth had to travel this distance at least twice a day to fetch about 40 litres of water on a wheelbarrow.
This is in addition to travelling 10km to school every day and back.
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A few months ago Elizabeth and her family were among the many families in Zaka’s Mudzvamuse village to benefit from the construction of boreholes in their areas and now do not need to spend so much time walking to the nearest water point for drinking water.
“When I came back from school every day I knew this task was awaiting me . . . I used to dread this journey, but there was no one else to do it,” explains Elizabeth.
“My mother is too old to walk this distance and my older brothers and sisters are now working away from home. This leaves me alone to do this work since my other young brothers are too young. I used to be tired every day and never had energy to study at home.”
The ZimWash programme, which is funded by the European Union and Unicef under the African Caribbean Pacific-European Union Water Facility, seeks to improve the health of rural women, children and men, especially those affected and infected by HIV and Aids through improved access to water, sanitation and hygiene.
Under the ZimWash programme, rural populations have been assisted to build household and school ventilated improved pit latrines as well as hand-washing facilities at both households and schools.
“Access to clean water and adequate sanitation for the most vulnerable populations of our society should now be our focus if we are to meet our health-related MDGs,” said Unicef country representative, Dr Peter Salama.
“Rural populations in Zimbabwe continue to bear the brunt of the poor water and sanitation situation in the country.”
To consolidate all these gains made in the water sector in both rural and urban areas, last year, Unicef supported the inclusive government to revamp the National Action Committee, an inter-ministerial body mandated by Cabinet as the official governance structure in water, sanitation and hygiene. It is made up of nine ministries and led by the Ministry of Water Resources and Development.
“If we are to succeed in improving the quality of water and sanitation services for all Zimbabweans, effective coordination and management is critical,” said the Minister of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development, Dr Ignatius Chombo.
Since the cholera outbreak in 2008, Unicef has worked with the inclusive government and various partners to direct efforts towards rehabilitating water and sanitation infrastructure in major cities and towns such as Bulawayo, Harare, Chegutu and Rusape under a programme known as the Emergency Rehabilitation and Risk Reduction (ER&RR) programme.
Through the ER&RR programme, supported by the governments of Australia and the United Kingdom, emergency repair of water and sanitation infrastructure such as water treatment plants and distribution network, boreholes, sewerage systems and wastewater treatment plants was conducted.
“The rehabilitation of water and sanitation infrastructure through the invaluable support of Unicef and other international donors has allowed us to fight the root causes of cholera and waterborne diseases in Harare and its environs,” said the Mayor of Harare, Muchadeyi Masunda.
Rehabilitation work on sewer and water infrastructure through the ER&RR has contributed to marked reduction in cholera, from 98 531 cases and 4 282 deaths in the 2008/9 cholera season to 900 cases and 22 deaths during 2009/10.
“The government of Australia remains committed to improving the health and quality of life of Zimbabweans, particularly the poor and vulnerable, by restoring basic water supply and sanitation services, said Matthew Neuhaus, Australia’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe.
“We are also committed to hygiene promotion as the country slowly recovers from years of economic challenges and we work through a number of local partners to achieve this.”
Unicef has also ensured the provision of essential water treatment chemicals to local authorities under the ER&RR programmesince 2009.
This has ensured the provision of safe water to 20 urban councils and over 100 towns and growth points where water supply is managed by Zimbabwe National Water Authority, benefiting over 4 million people.
