RURAL WASH PROJECT

IMPROVING WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE IN RURAL

AREAS OF ZIMBABWE

Rural WASH Project: Feel of change and impact from direct beneficiaries through human interest stories

November 2015 – May 2016

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................................ 2

1. Changing lives through the provision of clean water in rural Zimbabwe ................................................. 3

2. Improved access to clean water brings new hope to villagers .................................................................. 4

3. Gwakwe village, where every drop of water matters .................................................................................. 6

4. Borehole brings new lease of life to villagers in Zaka District .................................................................. 7

5. Promoting School Hygiene through innovation .......................................................................................... 9

6. Towards Zero Open Defecation at Nyangambe Secondary School ........................................................ 11

7. Dream come true for Gogo Moto (Grandmother Moto) ............................................................................ 12

8. Stress free Chirilelelihundu village ............................................................................................................ 13

9. Every House with its Own Latrine - Demand-Led Sanitation in Rural Zimbabwe .................................. 15

10. Zim’s rural toilets for the future by Roselyne Sachiti (The Herald, 12 April 2015) ................................. 16

11. Unicef rehabilitates boreholes (NewsDay, 18 April 2015) ........................................................................ 19

12. Rural WASH programme gives villagers new lease of life (NewsDay, 29 April 2015) ............................ 20

13. A vulnerable 68 years old women proudly constructed household latrine ............................................ 21

14. Jubilation in Makonde as Piped Water Scheme is rehabilitated for Glynamel Community .................. 23

15. Gone are the days of www.donorprovides.com ........................................................................................ 25

16. Rural WASH Project Averts School Closure ............................................................................................. 27

17. Two Strokes, Clean Water ........................................................................................................................... 30

18. Ooh Yes, I Can.............................................................................................................................................. 31

19. Homestead is full ......................................................................................................................................... 32

20. Good to be Back Mingling With Others ..................................................................................................... 33

21. A sound mind in a healthy body ................................................................................................................. 34

22. New borehole reduced time taken to and from the water point for a 74 years old blind woman .......... 35

23. Clean water comes to Ward 2 in Mahole .................................................................................................... 37

24. Sanitation interventions make big changes in Sentente Village in Lupane District .............................. 38

25. Conversation with an extension worker …Where purpose is known initiatives are inevitable ............ 41

26. RWIMS a benefit or a burden??? ................................................................................................................ 42

27. Of data, accountability and resource allocation in conditions of scarcity. ............................................ 43

28. So much more than just data ...................................................................................................................... 44

29. Open defecation-free communities – Apostolics lead the way in Masvingo Province .......................... 46

30. Picture Collage on Demand Led Sanitation ............................................................................................... 49

31. Keeping it Flowing: Rekindling the connection ........................................................................................ 50

32. The Rural WASH programme –“A relief for Gomba Primary school ....................................................... 52

Cover Photo: By Elizabeth B. Mupfumira, Media Liaison Specialist, UNICEF

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1. Changing lives through the provision of clean water in rural Zimbabwe

By Richard Nyamanhindi, UNICEF

On a Wednesday afternoon in late October, in a ceremony punctuated by singing, dancing and

ululating, the Zimbabwean village of Manjolo in Binga district, Matebeleland North Province formally

assumed ownership of a new borehole that provides clean water for its nearly 6,000 residents.

“Now that we have water, my dream will be to see our children being committed to their studies…

without being disturbed by

elders sending them to

riverbanks to fetch water,” said

Chido Mufiri, a villager who

has a family living in Manjolo

village.

In October, the community of

Manjolo officially took over the

management of the borehole

from UNICEF and the Ministry

of Water Resources

Development and

Management which co-led the

rehabilitation of the borehole

which had been broken for

several years under the DfID

Improving Water, Sanitation

and Hygiene in Rural Areas of Zimbabwe funded project.

At least four million people in Zimbabwe – about one-third of the population, lack access to safe

drinking water. With only a year left before the end date for the Millennium Development Goals, it

seems Zimbabwe will not be able to achieve access to clean and safe water for all.

When it comes to water and sanitation, the people in Binga face a myriad of problems, starting with

the dry climate in the area. The region’s rainfall levels tend to be relatively low and erratic, with

frequent droughts and floods. Other factors affecting water supply in the area include poor resource

management, inadequate infrastructure, inefficient use and a robust population growth.

The resulting water challenges present an even more daunting list of problems, including disease,

interrupted schooling especially for girls and gender inequality.

According to recent statistics from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, some 120,000 children

under the age of five died in 2011 alone and diarrhoea caused more than one-third of those deaths.

The Ministry of Health and Child Care says “basic steps” such as hand-washing with soap,

expanding access to safe drinking water and sanitation, along with providing other medical

services, could save the lives of many of these children. The problem remains: “A majority, six

households in every 10, does not treat their drinking water especially in rural areas,” leaving them

susceptible to various health problems.

Nationally, the proportion of Zimbabwean households with access to an improved source of

drinking water – categorized as a public tape, borehole, a protected well, spring water and

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rainwater, stands at more than 75 percent, according to the Demographic Health Survey,

2011. However, there are significant disparities between urban households, where 95 percent of

people have access to an improved source of drinking water, and rural areas where just 48 percent

access safe drinking water.

The lack of access to clean drinking water and sanitation thus affects everyone, but women and

children generally feel the greatest impact.

“In our culture and generally around Africa, it is the role of the female members to ensure the family

is fed and that there is sufficient water for the family to use,” says Chido Mufiri. “So women bear

the brunt of this water scarcity. They are the ones on the front line of these problems.”

Prior to the construction of the borehole, the community in Manjolo used to draw water from the

same source with domestic and wild animals. “We were competing for water with the livestock,”

says Peggy Masetela, the ward councillor for Manjolo.

In addition, women travelled long distances, sometimes at night becoming rape targets as a result,

says Chief Matobeni Mutala. “If they were going to fetch water in some of these far away areas,

they had to go as a group for their own safety.”

“Sometimes when it rained, it was not safe for children to go fetch water in the Zambezi River

because they sometimes drowned,” added Mutala. Children were also forced to cut study hours

short to go fetch water, and schools could not stay open for a full day when there were no toilets or

drinking water.

The journey to water independence for Manjolo, to date, has been successful but far from smooth.

As noted by Mr. Walter Musanga an official with the Ministry of Water Resources Development and

Management, “Drilling or rehabilitating boreholes and building latrines is not enough. A systematic

approach that focuses on quality or building to minimum standards, maintenance and use are

equally important and there is need to invest now to save more future lives and impairments of

many kinds.”

The ceremony in Manjolo was important symbolically, says Moshake Mobatwana, a tribal leader:

“This handover program is very important as it brings awareness to the community that it is their

project and not UNICEF or the governments.”

2. Improved access to clean water brings new hope to villagers

By Elizabeth B. Mupfumira, Media Liaison Specialist, UNICEF The 5th of December, 2013 is a day that the villagers of Mapanzure in Masvingo district will never

forget. On this day, for the first time in 15 years, the only borehole in their village began to pump

fresh water. Before this borehole was rehabilitated, the 41 households were forced to access water

from unsafe shallow wells, rivers, or the nearby dam. Others would walk more than 5km to the

nearest functioning borehole in the next village. “Our lives have changed. It’s hard to believe that I

now walk less than 15 minutes to access fresh water,” says Charity Mazani, Chairperson of the

Water Point Committee. ”Before this we were constantly visiting the clinic, due to diarrhea which

was cause by water we would access from unsafe shallow wells.”

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It is therefore understandable that the villagers would take great pride in their borehole and be very

diligent in maintaining and caring for it. The area around the borehole is cleared and cordoned off

by a wooden fence constructed by the villagers. The villagers elected a seven person Water Point

Committee (WPC) to oversee the maintenance and usage of the well to ensure that it doesn’t break

down again, or isn’t vandalized. The WPC consists of trusted members of the community who are

accountable to the 41 households who use the borehole. Each committee consists of a Chairman,

treasurer, secretary. Guided by a constitution drafted by the villagers, the entire community plays

a part in the upkeep of the

borehole, including paying

monthly dues of US1 per

household for repairs,

maintenance and other

sundries. US1 is a lot of

money for most, but worth

the sacrifice.

Jethro Makumbe of

Kandisai Village in Gutu

District also underwent the

Village Pump mechanics

training, a seven day

training on rehabilitating

and repairing boreholes.

He was also given the tools

to repair broken down

boreholes. A welder by

profession, Jethro now

repairs five of the

surrounding boreholes in

the area. “It’s a very

tasking job, but I am proud

to be able to assist my

community,” he says. “I

wish I had a bicycle to

allow me to reach the

boreholes with greater ease.”

Water Point Committees and Village Pump minders are part of the Community Based Management

programme, which is a component of the Rural WASH programme aimed at capacitating members

of the community to protect, maintain and repair their boreholes, thus giving them a sense of

ownership and responsibility. All members of Water Point Committees have undergone training as

part of the Participation for Operation and Maintenance activity.

In rural Zimbabwe, the lack of water, sanitation and hygiene services have had an effect on access

to all social services for the most vulnerable members of the community. Lack of adequate WASH

has resulted in a large disease burden, especially an increase in preventable diarrheal deaths of

children; a large number of students, especially girls dropping, out of school due to inadequate

water and sanitation facilities in schools; and a large labour burden on women and girls in villages

like Mapanzure who must travel large distances to collect water.

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Masvingo district is one of the beneficiaries of the US$51.2 million rural WASH programme which

is supported by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) aims to

significantly reduce the number of people without access to a safe water supply and adequate

sanitation in the most vulnerable Provinces in Zimbabwe.

“This year, we hope to start some projects like a vegetable gardens for income generation, as well

as nutrition the community. This borehole will help us to uplift ourselves,” said Shelter Mazhetese,

WPC Secretary.

3. Gwakwe village, where every drop of water matters

By UNICEF Communication Team

Water, the mainstay of human existence. Taken for granted in many places, it is every bit as

precious for this rural community in Gwakwe, southern Zimbabwe.

Until now, the only source of water was a river 3 kilometres away. In the rainy season, flash flooding

would bring water crashing down the dry bed, its ferocity aided by a dam nearby. Women and girls

would walk down there at least four times a day carrying 20 litres containers on their heads or, if

they could afford the USD 10 fee, hire a Scotch cart. In the dry season, they would draw water from

a shallow well, which posed enormous risks to their health. For Thandekile Nkomo and her 13 year-

old brother Newton, this water was better

than no water at all.

“We collected water from Mtshabezi river.

Sometimes after the rainfall, we trapped

the water flowing downstream and when

the river dried up, we would dig up a

shallow well on the river bed,” she says.

Gwakwe village lies in the heart of a semi-

arid area of Zimbabwe where rainfall is

erratic, rivers are dry for large parts of the

year, and an impervious bedrock makes it

impossible to tap underground water. The

terrain is unforgiving and the temperatures

can be harsh. It is no wonder that life in this

village for its inhabitants and their

treasured livestock revolves around water. Here, every drop is precious.

In 1982, the local authority installed a pump and laid pipes into the village. But sections of the

pipeline burst and the project remained abandoned for 32 years. Then in 2013, the village was

selected to benefit from a project to rehabilitate piped water schemes in 33 rural communities in

Zimbabwe. Funded by the UK and Swiss governments and managed by UNICEF, the project aims

to provide water to selected communities by June 2015. When completed, 1.7 million people will

have access to safe water, says UNICEF project officer Nicholas Moyo.

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“We are drilling new boreholes, repairing water points, and rehabilitating piped water schemes

which are no longer functioning because of the [economic] challenges the country has gone

through,” he says.

In rural areas like Gwakwe, water scarcity bears a gender face. A UNICEF study in 2013 found that

the majority of people who fetch water are women. On average, they walk a kilometre to the nearest

water source but in some areas, it can be as high as 5 kilometres. The task is physically exhausting,

a single trip taking up to an hour. But for most women, four to five trips is what is needed to

adequately meet their families’ water needs. That is an overwhelming five hours in a day spent on

drawing water.

In Gwakwe village, the rusted pipes were replaced and two stand pipes installed. The community

used its own resources to build a reservoir tank and extend the pipeline to 11 additional stand

pipes. The project has brought safe water to more than 5,000 people, including 3,500 children. It

has reduced the walking distances to just

meters. Gladys Ndhlovu, the vice

chairperson of the village water committee,

explains the benefits of the project.

“The quality of life for women and girls has

improved as they now have time to rest. Our

finances have also improved as we now use

our money for other things rather than on

hiring carts to ferry water.”

For Thandekile Nkomo, and for thousands of

the village’s inhabitants, water has not only

come nearer to the home, it has also

improved the overall quality of life. She no

longer has to walk 12 kilometres every day

to fetch water; she has more time to look

after her baby; and her younger brother can

spend more time studying.

“I now have time to do other things,” she says.

4. Borehole brings new lease of life to villagers in Zaka District

By Elizabeth B. Mupfumira, UNICEF

The villagers of Chiturumani in Zaka District of Masvingo remember all too well the cholera outbreak

of 2008/9. Even in this remote part of Zimbabwe, people were not spared. “I almost died of cholera,”

says Chiedza Mutava, a villager. “Like many of my neighbours, I used to source my water from

nearby unsafe shallow wells and rivers, because the nearest functioning borehole was 9 kilometres

away”.

In June 2013, the local borehole was finally rehabilitated, providing much needed relief for the 415

surrounding households and 384 school students from the nearby Chiturimani Primary School. This

high-yielding borehole gushes clean and safe water for the community, ensuring that no-one has

to travel 10km to the nearest clinic for treatment from diahorrea and other water-borne diseases.

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Now that the borehole has been rehabilitated, it is the responsibility of the Water Point Committees

to oversee the functionality of the borehole. The villagers of Chiturimani elected a seven person

Water Point Committee (WPC) to oversee the maintenance, repairs and overall use of the well.

Having such a large catchment area which includes a primary school, they must work closely with

the School Development Committee to make sure that they are accountable to the 1476 people

who use this borehole. Each WPC consists of a Chairman, treasurer, secretary. Guided by a

constitution drafted by the villagers, the entire community plays a part in the upkeep of the borehole,

including paying monthly dues of US1 per household for repairs, maintenance and other sundries.

Water Point Committees are part of the Community Based Management programme, which is a

component of the Rural WASH programme, aimed at capacitating members of the community to

protect, maintain and repair their boreholes, thus giving them a sense of ownership and

responsibility. All members of Water Point Committees have undergone training as part of the

Participation for Operation and Maintenance activity.

In rural Zimbabwe, the lack of water, sanitation and hygiene services have had an effect on access

to all social services for the most vulnerable members of the community. Lack of adequate WASH

has resulted in a large disease burden, especially an increase in preventable diarrheal deaths of

children; a large number of students, especially girls dropping, out of school due to inadequate

water and sanitation facilities in schools; and a large labour burden on women and girls in villages

like Chiturimana who must travel long distances to collect water.

Zaka district suffers from perennial problems and is one of the beneficiaries of the rural WASH

programme which is supported by the Swiss Development Corporation (SDC). The programme

aims to significantly reduce the number of people without access to a safe water supply and

adequate sanitation in the most vulnerable Provinces in Zimbabwe.

Now that the borehole

has brought this

community back to life,

they are now looking

forward to rehabilitating

the nearby clinic which

has been derelict for

over 20 years. “This

new borehole has had

a great impact on our

lives by reducing the

distance we have to

walk to fetch clean

water,” says Obert

Musidzingo, the WPC

chairman. “We are now

motivated to push for

this clinic to also be

rehabilitated. With a

nearby borehole, clinic and school, it will change our future forever.”

Fresh, clean water is now a reality for the villagers of Chiturimanani

in Zaka District, Masvingo

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Photo Credits: UNICEF Zimbabwe/2013/E. Mupfumira

5. Promoting School Hygiene through innovation

By Elizabeth B. Mupfumira, UNICEF

Upon arrival at Cheninga Primary

school, in the Gutu District of

Masvingo Province, the first thing

that catches the eye are the colourful

“Tippy Taps” outside each of the nine

classrooms. The Tippy Tap is an

innovative contraption that was

initiated at Cheninga Primary School

by the schools’ “Taziva” Health Club

to help the school in its fight against

preventable diahhoreal diseases by

promoting safe sanitation and

hygiene practices through regular

hand washing. Every time a student

uses the toilet they wash their hands

using the tippy tap before returning to

class.

The Water Point Committee ensures that their borehole is cordoned off and protected

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Taziva Health Club recently won first prize in the district’s School Health Club competition for being

agents of change by effectively educating their peers and the surrounding community on the

importance of sanitation and hygiene practices. And it’s clear by the presence of the Tippy Taps,

clean toilets and pristine school surroundings that this school takes sanitation and hygiene very

seriously. “It’s important that

we teach our students about

sanitation and hygiene at

school, because they will take

the same lessons back home

into the community,” says

headmaster.

School Health Clubs are one of

the tools being implemented as

part of the rural WASH’s

programme to improve water

availability; promote zero

tolerance to open defacation

and promote hygiene

standards.

Ms. Ushe is the health club

teacher at Cheninga Primary

School. She is very passionate

about her responsibility to the school and it’s surrounding community. Ms Ushe was recently trained

in Sanitation focused participatory health and hygiene education (SAFPHHE) to promote child,

gender and disabled-friendly sanitation facilities; promotion of

hand washing facilities- such as the Tippy Tap; and to enhance

creative and innovative ways for students to be change agents

for the community. “We have a lot of ctivities that promote

sanitation and health in the community. We put on plays, sing

songs and recite poems to the student body and surrounding

community to deliver our message and it is very effective,” she

says

In rural Zimbabwe, the lack of water, sanitation and hygiene

services have had an effect on access to all social services for

the most vulnerable members of the community. Lack of

adequate WASH has resulted in a large disease burden ,

especially an increase in preventable diahhoreal deaths of

children; a large number of students, especially girls dropping,

out of school due to inadequate water and sanitation facilities in

schools; and a large labour burden on women and girls who

must travel large distances to collect water.

The US$52 million rural WASH programme which is supported by the United Kingdom’s

Department for International Development (DFID) aims to significantly reduce the number of people

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without access to a safe water supply and adequate sanitation in the most vulnerable Provinces in

Zimbabwe.

As UNICEF commemorates the 25th Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child under

the theme “Innovate for Equity”, the students of Cheninga Primary School health club have found

a way to advance the rights of children in their community. The “Tippy Taps” are setting a trend in

Zimbabwe’s rural schools by promoting innovation through simplicity.

6. Towards Zero Open Defecation at Nyangambe Secondary School

BY WHH Team

Story as narrated by Abel Machenga of Chiredzi district, Ward 23.

I am a 19 year old “O” Level student at

Nyangambe Secondary School. Our school

latrine collapsed in March 2014 as a result of

excessive rains. It all happened on a

Saturday morning when we were attending

extra lessons. We heard a terrible sound,

rushed outside and were shocked to find all

our school latrines had collapsed. From that

day we started using the bush as the toilet.

The nearby bushes were all polluted with

feaces. It was very difficult for me to cope

with the situation because at home I use a

latrine and was now forced to squat in the

bush. I now preferred to be absent from

school as I hated school days. I performed

badly in my first term exams because I did

not attend most lessons. We continued with

this difficult situation but suddenly we heard

that someone could assist us. UNICEF

provided the district with funds through the

Chiredzi Rural District Council and its

partner German Agro Action and assisted us

with the building of a new latrine. The toilet

construction happened unexpectedly in April 2014, we were pleasantly surprised to see a lorry

loaded with cement coming to our school. It was also loaded with other building materials for

constructing our new school latrine. Parents participated in the digging of pits and supplied other

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locally available like sand material for construction. Soon, a 10 multi-compartment squat-hole

latrine had been completed within a month. This was also the beginning towards Zero Open

defecation in our community. All

households in my community are

making efforts to build a latrine after

receiving education from the Chiredzi

District Council, Ministry of Health and

GAA.

There is now joy at school. We love

our school latrine and we clean it

daily. We have also constructed tippy

taps for hand washing. I was very

happy to have my dignity restored. I

felt really honored and now I enjoy my school days. I also hope to perform well at the end of the

term.

7. Dream come true for Gogo Moto (Grandmother Moto)

By WHH Team

My name is Makanani Mahasva popularly known as Gogo Moto (Grandmother Moto), an 80 year

old widow from Damba village in Chiredzi district. I live with my sister and two grandchildren. As far

as I could remember, I had only used the bush as my toilet and this was with a lot of fear and

shame. Children and herd boys used to call me names as they saw me squatting in the bush. This

shame ended in 2014 during the triggering meeting. I was ferried in a wheelbarrow to attend the

meeting since I have a chronic feet problem. I thought it was a meeting for food distribution but to

my surprise the people who had called us talked about machimba (feaces in Shangani). I was one

of the people selected to receive a one bag subside latrine, Upgradable Blair Ventilated Inspection

Pit (uBVIP). This was the beginning of my journey. I told myself that I should move from the bush

and build a latrine

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The Rural WASH project assisted me with cement for

the uBVIP construction and trained builders to build

the toilet. Villagers agreed to dig the toilet pit and

provide all the other building materials such as sand,

bricks, water. During the meeting it was resolved that

every household was to construct a uBVIP since it

was cheap and easy to construct as only cement and

reinforcement wire was needed and the

superstructure materials could be of any locally

available material. The first lined and concrete-slab

covered pit uBVIP that uses the one bag cement was

to be constructed at my homestead in our ward. After a few days, villages assisted me to dig the

toilet pit and the building of latrine up to slab level. By

God’s grace my church congregation donated more

cement and bricks to have the latrine completed. The

BVIP toilet is now as roof level and will be completed

as soon as I get the money to buy the roofing material

so that it functions well.

My latrine is the only beautiful structure at my

homestead. I feel honoured and now have dignity. I

feel that I am now respected by the community at

large. They can no longer see Gogo Moto squatting

in the bush. I will maintain my latrine in a very clean manner. I have provided a tippy tap at my

latrine. I have also joined the health club that has started last week. I wish to improve on health and

hygiene issues through the assistance of the Sanitation Action Group. My wish is to also involve

my grandchildren in health and hygiene issues. Gogo Moto is now an advocate of good sanitation

and hygiene to the rest of her village members.

8. Stress free Chirilelelihundu village

By WHH Team

Narrated by Morline Maluleki, villager and 32 yr. old mother and Borehole Caretaker in Ward 32,

Chirilelelihundu village 7.

We are the people of Chirilelelihunda village. Our borehole was down for 5 months until April 2014.

Life became very difficult for us without water. The nearest borehole was 10km away and it was

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very difficult for us to travel and collect water from so far. We opted to collect and drink water in

streams near our homes and open sources such as wells and dams. We would do laundry once a

month or bath once in 3 days. Children began to have skin diseases like ring worms. Diarrhoeal

diseases became common.

We are the people of Chirilelelihunda village. Our borehole was down for 5 months until April 2014.

Life became very difficult for us without water. The nearest borehole was 10km away and it was

very difficult for us to travel and collect water from so far. We opted to collect and drink water in

streams near our homes and open

sources such as wells and dams. We

would do laundry once a month or bath

once in 3 days. Children began to have

skin diseases like ring worms.

Diarrhoeal diseases became common.

All this suffering ended in April when the

DWSSC together with German Agro

Action introduced the Rural Water and

Sanitation Project and assisted us to

rehabilitate our borehole. They

requested us to protect the borehole first

before any work could be done. Head

works were also constructed soon after

the repairs were done. Our builders

participated in head works construction

and we had a young man from our village

trained as a pump minder.

As a water point committee we now have

a fund meant for the maintenance of our

borehole. Currently we have $46 and our

target is $100. We have revised our

constitution and I hope that our borehole

will be well maintained and never break

down and take long before being

repaired.

Chirilelelihunda village borehole now after community had fenced it and also head works constructed.

Chirilelelihunda village borehole in Ward 32 being rehabilitated by trained Village Pump Mechanics

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We were very impressed by the repairs done and could not believe that we now had water after a

tormenting 5 months. We now do laundry twice a week and bathing is done daily. Personal and

household hygiene has improved significantly. Repair of the borehole has brought happiness in our

life as we no longer stress thinking about where to get water.

9. Every House with its Own Latrine - Demand-Led Sanitation in Rural Zimbabwe

Victor Chinyama, Chief of Communication, UNICEF

Zaka District, Masvingo, February 2015: Pote Tivarere is a man driven by a mission. As village

headman of Rwaendepi village in Zaka district, Masvingo province in the southern region of

Zimbabwe, Tibarere made it his aim to eliminate open defecation by having every household in

the village own its own latrine.

“Before we began this program, people were relieving

themselves in the bush. This caused us a lot of

problems with diseases because of poor hygiene,” he

says. “But now, every home has a latrine. Anyone

caught relieving themselves in the bush is

reprimanded.”

Open defecation is a big challenge in Zimbabwe.

According to the 2014 Multiple Indicator Cluster

Survey, a third of households do not have a toilet

facility. Individuals in these households defecate in

the open, exposing themselves and others to

diarrhoeal diseases.

“People would wait until sunset to relieve themselves. They were ashamed of being seen walking

to the bush. There was no dignity at all,” he says.

He recalls the day in 2014 when a team from the District Water and Sanitation Committee paid

the village a visit. Rwaendepi was among 197 villages in Zaka district that had been selected for

elimination of open defecation under a project to improve water supply, sanitation and hygiene in

rural Zimbabwe. Funded by the United Kingdom and Switzerland, the project operates in 33 rural

districts and is administered by UNICEF.

The visitors talked about the importance of safe sanitation and hygiene to women in the

community. The women went back to their husbands and convinced them to build pit latrines. But

some households had no capacity to construct their own latrines. Tibarere identified four such

households that were labour- and money- constrained.

“I knew it would be difficult to get these households to spend any money because the reason they

were using the bush in the first place was because they had no money to build the latrines. I sat

down with my brother and agreed to do something.”

Pote Tivarere has managed to eliminate open defecation in his village.

Credit: UNICEF Zimbabwe/2015

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He mobilized the community to contribute $1 per household towards buying a bag of cement for

each of the four households. While Tibarere and his

brother did the actual construction, the community also

provided poles, grass and empty plastic bottles that

were used to construct an improvised vent pipe.

One such household belonged to 40 year-old Susan

Mugoya, a mother of four. Mugoya speaks openly about

her HIV status, saying she used to fall sick so often that

she was unable to build the toilet herself.

“I was always sickly due to poor hygiene as flies would

contaminate our food with fecal matter,” she says. “But

diarrheal diseases are now a thing of the past. Even my visitors can now use the toilet instead of

relieving themselves in the bush.”

With Mugoya’s and the other three households having a latrine, Rwaendepi village was one of

two villages that were officially declared free of open defecation in the whole district.

“I feel very proud of this honour,” says Tibarere. “As a leader, l feel that its my duty to help uplift

the lives of the community l lead. I must help whenever and with whatever l can.”

10. Zim’s rural toilets for the future by Roselyne Sachiti (The Herald, 12 April 2015)

April 23, 2015

Zim’s rural toilets for the future

Roselyne Sachiti Features Editor

Improved sanitation can reduce

diarrhoeal diseases by more than a third

and can significantly lessen the adverse

health impact of other disorders

responsible for death and disease among

millions of children in developing

countries.

“Some people born in families living in

urban settings take sanitation issues for granted.

Susan Mugoya’s latrine was built by the community from locally-available materials.

Credit: UNICEF Zimbabwe/2015

17

“Most have never experienced squatting behind a bush, constantly checking if anyone is coming

as they relieve themselves.

“These are such things that some people may not take seriously when advocated for by those in

need.”

These are some of the concerns by young women in Zimbabwe’s remote areas, who until recently

had no access to toilets and defecated in the bush.

In Zimbabwe, while many urban households enjoy the luxury of the privacy provided by toilets,

people in rural areas still practise open defecation.

It is, however, not all gloomy. In rural areas like Zebra Village, Mtetengwe area in Beitbridge West, open defecation is fast

becoming a problem of the past.

Here stands a village that tells a success story of good sanitation interventions in the province.

In this village, a sanitation action group (SAG) of seven members has been working tirelessly to

ensure that most households have toilets.

Sanitation Action Groups (SAG), is a team of dedicated locally-based cadres instituted to get

community buy-in and to further support community initiatives in the construction of latrines.

Only two of the 52 households are still to construct toilets and this is remarkable.

Mrs Tilivhali Moyo (45) is a SAG member and wants every member of their community to have a

toilet come end of 2015.

“Our dream is to ensure that every household has a proper toilet.

“Open defecation poses a lot of health challenges and we want to see everyone in this village move away from that,” she said. “We realised that our domestic animals are free range and they would eventually unearth and eat these faeces. “This means when I eventually eat or try to sell my chickens, I will likely get diseases from their waste. People might also frown at buying them.” With the cost of constructing a toilet far from the reach of many, the community and District

Development Fund and other partners like the United Nations Children Fund have assisted.

It costs between US$150 and $200 to construct a proper toilet. For long, building a toilet has not

been a priority for many in this dry part of Zimbabwe.

“We have also helped build a toilet for a disabled villager in Ward 6. The District Development Fund

has also helped with cement and this has triggered the pace of development,” added Moyo.

Just outside each toilet is a hand washing point. Here, water is stored in a container tied onto a

tree using a long rope. The rope is attached to a brick.

“It is easy to wash hands from here. You just step on a string tied to the container and out comes

the water,” she said, her son demonstrating how they wash hands.

18

Before the SAGs and local authorities started advocating for construction of toilets, villagers in this

part of the country were using unsafe methods.

“Some were going to the bush but after triggering we encouraged them to share toilets that were

already there,” said Beitbridge District Co-ordinator for Water and Sanitation Mr Tinashe Ngundu.

Mr Ngundu said their target was to construct 267 toilets for vulnerable people that include child-

headed families and the disabled among others.

He added that they would assist them build the toilets by providing upgradable Blair VIP toilet

(uBVIP).

The Blair VIP (BVIP) toilet is a Zimbabwean invention and the forerunner of all VIP toilets. It has

been a standardised piece of sanitary hardware recommended by the Government of Zimbabwe

for 30+ years.

The family unit is multi-purpose and doubles as a washroom. A multi-compartment version is

recommended for schools.

Mr Ngundu also said that they hope to build 24 more latrines at various schools in the district. “As of last year, we built 16 latrines at schools and we recently got an allocation for a further 24. “The programme is also aimed at rehabilitating school latrines. So far we have rehabilitated seven,”

he said.

With such initiatives, people in this area will worry less about disease outbreak.

Inadequate disposal of human excreta and personal hygiene is associated with a range of diseases including diarrhoeal and polio and is an important determinant for stunting. Improved sanitation can reduce diarrhoeal diseases by more than a third and can significantly lessen the adverse health impact of other disorders responsible for death and disease among millions of children in developing countries. Millennium Development Goal Number 7C is aimed at reducing by half, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. An improved sanitation facility is defined as one that hygienically separates human excreta from human contact. Improved sanitation facilities for excreta disposal include flush or pour flush to a piped sewer system, septic tank or pit latrine; ventilated improved pit latrine with slab and use of a composting toilet. According to the 2014 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, about 62 percent of Zimbabwe’s population was living in households with improved sanitation facilities. Use of improved sanitation was almost universal in urban areas (98,9 percent) compared to (56,5 percent) in rural areas. The overall open defecation was 31,7 percent. Matabeleland North Province had the highest proportion of household population with no sanitation facilities and 69,6 percent of them practised open defecation. Thirty five percent of the household population was using an improved sanitation facility not shared with other households (MDG indicator 7,9).

19

About 27 percent of household members used an improved toilet facility that was public or shared with other household members. In rural areas, 30,3 percent used a facility that was not shared with other households. Forty four percent of household members in rural areas did not have any sanitation facilities compared to 1,1 percent in urban areas. Washing hands with water and soap reduces the risk of diarrhoea by 44 percent, an ARI by 23 percent among under fives. In the survey, hand washing facilities included tippy taps, sinks, hand-washing tanks and buckets with taps among others. “Run to waste” is the practice of washing hands under running water from a portable container without using it again for hand washing. The percentage of households with specific places for hand-washing where water, soap and other cleansing agents were present was 10,3 percent. Of these, the highest was observed in Bulawayo Province (41 percent), Midlands (19,5 percent) and Harare Province (17,2 percent). It was higher in urban areas (27,9 percent) compared to rural areas (2,6 percent) and went up with an increase in socio-economic status of the household and level of education of the head of the household.

11. Unicef rehabilitates boreholes (NewsDay, 18 April 2015)

Unicef rehabilitates boreholes

April 18, 2015 in News

BY PHILLIP CHIDAVAENZI

BEITBRIDGE — Hundreds of villagers in Gukunze Village in the Tongwe area in Beitbridge have

started benefiting from the rehabilitation of several boreholes which broke down years ago, leaving

them with no source of clean water.

Village head Pasani Nyoni said the rehabilitation of the boreholes in his area, which serviced a total

of 149 households in Pasani, Kone and Mgwalisani villages, had given locals hope after several

years of scrounging for the precious liquid. “People used to walk long distances to find water after

the borehole in this village broke down in 2009,” he said.

“We are, however, happy now that the borehole has been rehabilitated.” The rehabilitation of the

boreholes is being done with financial support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) as

part of its rural Water and Sanitation (WASH) programme. Villagers who spoke to NewsDay said

the rehabilitation of the boreholes had given them a new lease of life as they now had access to

the precious liquid and were now able to do their gardening to boost food security.

20

“We have been able to develop small gardens where we are largely producing vegetables and

tomatoes for household consumption,” said Enita Mudau. Another villager, Victor Moyo, said

although there were several boreholes in the village, only one was now functioning after it was

rehabilitated. “All the other boreholes in the areas are still broken down,” he said.

Several villagers have constructed Blair toilets to curb open defecation as part of the rural WASH

programme. Although 73% of the population has access to safe water and 60% to improved

sanitation facilities, more than 60% of the rural water supply infrastructure is in disrepair and 40%

of Zimbabweans in rural areas practice open defecation, according to statistics from Unicef.

Under WASH, Unicef manages a $30 million programme to improve access to safe water and sanitation for 500 000 inhabitants in 14 small towns in Zimbabwe, among other things.

12. Rural WASH programme gives villagers new lease of life (NewsDay, 29 April 2015)

Rural WASH programme gives villagers new lease of life April 29, 2015 in Feature Story, News BY PHILLIP CHIDAVAENZI BEITBRIDGE – The unforgiving sun that appears to mock any longing for lush, green vegetation

in Gukunze village does not hint that it will relent any time soon.

But poor rainfall patterns that characterise this border outpost in Matabeleland South populated by

the Venda people has made access to potable water a challenge. Both humans and livestock in

Pasani, Kone and Mgwalisani villages are in desperate need of watering and their problem is

exacerbated by boreholes in the areas which have long broken down. Their fortunes, however, are

set to shift following the intervention of the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) through its rural

Water and Sanitation (WASH) programme. Under the programme, Unicef is rehabilitating broken

down boreholes.

This has left villagers in celebratory mood, with village head Pasani Nyoni saying the rehabilitation

of the borehole in his area, which serviced a total of 149 households, has given villagers hope after

several years of scrounging for the precious liquid. “People used to walk long distances to find

water after the borehole in this village broke down in 2009,” he said.

“We are, however, happy now that the borehole has been rehabilitated.” Villagers who spoke to

NewsDay said the rehabilitation of the boreholes had given them a new lease of life since they now

had access to the precious liquid and were now able to do their gardening to boost food security.

“We have been able to develop small gardens where we are largely producing vegetables and

tomatoes for household consumption,” Enita Mudau said. Another villager, Victor Moyo, said

21

although there were several boreholes in the village, only one was now functional after it was

rehabilitated. “All the other boreholes in the areas are yet to be rehabilitated,” he said.

Several villagers have constructed Blair toilets to curb open defecation as part of the rural WASH

programme. Although 73% of the population has access to safe water and 60% to improved

sanitation facilities, more than 60% of the rural water supply infrastructure is in disrepair and 40%

of Zimbabweans in rural areas practice open defecation, according to Unicef statistics.

Under WASH, Unicef manages a $30 million programme to improve access to safe water and

sanitation for 500 000 inhabitants in 14 small towns in Zimbabwe, among other things. The

improved sanitation is expected to cut down the rate of diarrhoeal diseases in the area with places

like Zebra village in Beitbridge West now enjoying the use of toilets. This has curbed the once

widespread problem of open defecation in the area. Villagers have established a sanitation action

group (SAG) of seven members which has not only been preaching, but practicing good hygiene

and sanitation. This has seen 50 households in the village constructing toilets. SAG member

Tilivhali Moyo said she was running with the vision of ensuring that every community member had

a toilet by year end. “Our dream is to ensure that every household has a proper toilet. Open

defecation poses a lot of health challenges and we want to see everyone in this village moving

away from that,” she said.

The District Development Fund and other partners like Unicef have given financial aid to assist the

community. It cost up to $200 to construct a proper toilet. Outside each toilet is a hand-washing

point. Here, water is stored in a container tied onto a tree using a long rope. The rope is attached

to a brick. Beitbridge district WASH co-ordinator Tinashe Ngundu said they had a target of

constructing 267 toilets for vulnerable people, including child-headed families and the disabled.

Ngundu said they hoped to build 24 more latrines at various schools in the district. “As of last year,

we built 16 latrines at schools and we recently got an allocation for a further 24. The programme is

aimed at rehabilitating school latrines. So far we have rehabilitated seven,” he said.

Ngundu said they were targeting selected households with the elderly, disabled and those headed

by orphans. He, however, said there was need for co-ordinated efforts by various stakeholders to

ensure the programme’s success. “We have seen that there have been fragmented efforts from

partners in the past and we still have yawning gaps,” he said. Ngundu said between 50% and 55%

of the water points in the region were dysfunctional and described it as unfortunate in a district that

sorely relied on borehole water. The area is serviced by two major rivers, Bubi and Mzingwane, but

they dry up soon after the rainy season.

13. A vulnerable 68 years old women proudly constructed household latrine

By Mbuya Siankope, Siakobvu Kariba District, Christian Care.

Seen below, Right in the picture: Mbuya Siankope talking to Theo Nzenza (Left) from the

Min of Health and Child Care

22

“My name is Emeridha Siankope. I am a 68 year old widow staying in Kasvisva Ward here in

Siakobvu area of Kariba District. I was born in Binga and came to stay here with my late husband

in January 1989. As you can see, our community is found in a rather bushy environment. We

actually share the environment with wild animals. There are many elephants in the area and most

of the times they come to steal from our field. I am just trying to show you that here we are in the

middle of forestry land. Our community has had a lot of donor sponsored projects. Campfire project

was one of them

We were also given cement to construct toilets long back under the Danida project. Unfortunately

most of the cement either dried up or was sold to fish traders who usually pass through our area

on their way to Kariba from Chalala. Most of the villagers actually gave the cement away because

we had no plans with it. No one really bothered about toilets because as you can see, we have

thick forests that surround our homesteads. I still remember once, I nearly got attacked by an

elephant when I was defecating in the forest. A big jumbo charged towards me as I was busy

helping myself behind a thicket. A young man who was up that mountain spotted the elephant and

ironically had also witnessed me doing my bit behind the thicket. He

started shouting and whistling. I quickly stood up, and saw this

massive jumbo charging towards me. I had no time to wipe myself

because death was beckoning on me. I ran for dear life. The man’s

shouting had also alerted other villagers of the impending danger.

Our community has strategies in place to scare the elephants. People

came to my rescue and drove the elephant away. I became the talk

of the village as people joked that my faeces are so smelly that they

managed to attract an elephant which was 20 kilometres away. Then

came this Government Project which has taught us to build toilets.

Initially we thought this was one of those projects where we would get

cement to construct our toilets. Things had changed this time. We got

a lot of health and hygiene education and organised ourselves to

construct our own toilets. Imagine, I started using my own toilet at

67..What a big achievement. I am glad that I now stand here as a

proud owner of a well constructed toilet, at least I have achieved this

before my death (she chuckles). The project has offered us more than

just constructing toilets. We now make sure that the water we drink is

safe; our homestead is clean; our living environment is also clean; we

wash our hands using soap or ash whenever we visit the toile (see

picture below)t and guess what diarrhoeal diseases have been on the

decline ever since the ‘Dhodhi Mugomba’ (faeces in the pit)

programme began here in March 2013”.

23

14. Jubilation in Makonde as Piped Water Scheme is rehabilitated for Glynamel Community

By FCTZ RWP – Makonde District Team

On Friday 6 February 2015, the Glynamel Piped Water Scheme was officially handed over to the

community; it is a day that will be remembered for some time by the community members, Makonde

District Water and Sanitation Sub-Committee members (DWSSC) and other district officials. To

spice up the handover ceremony the function was combined with the Provincial World Wetlands

Day commemoration for Mashonaland West province organized by Environmental Management

Agency (EMA). Thousands of people attended the ceremony, which was characterised with

speeches, drama, poetry, music and dancing.

Glynamel community is in ward 6 of Makonde district. Rehabilitation work at the piped water

scheme (PWS), was supported under the rural WASH programme which is funded by the United

Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID). DWSSC team went round the district

assessing various piped water schemes to come up with one most deserving PWS to target for

support. The Glynamel community could not believe it, when lady luck smiled on them and they

came top ahead of 16 other piped water schemes which had been assessed. On the part of

DWSSC the decision making was made easy as Glynamel piped water scheme exhibited some

critical advantages including the water source being a perennial natural spring and the site of the

spring in a mountain which allows water to flow by gravity from the water source to the last point

about 2.4 km away , the community members evidently suffering from poor access of a water

resource right on their doorsteps and the passion demonstrated by the community to contribute

towards rehabilitation of the scheme. The Glynamel Piped Water Scheme Scope of works included

constructing a 69 cubic meter tank , pipe laying of 2.4kms of uPVC and GI pipes , installation of

taps and fittings in the pipeline.

The project primarily provides domestic water for the Glynamel community and is benefiting over

1500 people who include residents of two Glynamel villages, pupils of Glynamel Primary school.

PWS also provides water for livestock and gardening projects in the community.

To promote value for money, DWSSC organized that its committee members with experience in

setting up piped water schemes be directly in charge of the actual repairs instead of hiring private

Skidow Secondary School pupils entertaining crowed Mr Runesu Assistant DA who presided over

through drama and song construction work as DWSSC chair.

24

companies, officers from District Development Fund (DDF), Department of Irrigation and Makonde

Rural District Council were selected for the task. They were in charge of the processes of trenching,

pipe laying, tank construction and pressure testing and for weeks the team toiled together with the

community members.

Mr Rice Secretary of the Glynamel PWS gave a telling presentation of the hurdles they had

encountered as a community in trying to rehabilitate the scheme since 2006, major challenges were

failure to access funds for cement for tank construction and to buy pipes. They were using leaking

short pieces of pipes and most of the water was being lost along the way and people had to also

collect water at one point, much to the inconvenience of women who had to wait long for their turn

to collect water. Now 16 water collection points (stand pipes) have been set up around the scheme.

To ensure sustainability and as part of community based management processes, DWSSC trained

water point committees to manage specific water points where the villagers collect water from.

These ensure order when people collect water, cleanliness at the water points, manages

maintenance of the scheme. The committee members reckon the first days after erection of the

taps were very challenging, with the excitement water usage was excessive with some villagers

watering their gardens throughout the night with hosepipes. The WPCs had to conduct intense

awareness meetings to promote responsible use of the water resource and now all is well. The

committee also have a fund in place for repairs in case of breakdowns.

While the community was not among the villages targeted for demand led sanitation under the

DFID funded rural WASH project, DWSSC went a step further and triggered the two Glynamel

villages, trained the SAGs and even trained builders from the two villages. Toilets are now being

constructed, while the villagers take pride in their hand washing antics using tippy taps.

The local Chief , Mr Magonde spoke about importance of preserving our culture and respect of

traditional practices which will ensure that natural springs do not dry up.

Laying of pipes at the Glynamel piped water scheme, DWSSC member in the trench.

FCTZ Director (in blue shirt) meets DWSSC team at the tank.

25

The climax of the event was the actual handover of the scheme to the community done by the

District Administrator, Mr Manyurapasi on behalf of the Mashonaland West Resident Minister. It

marked the end of a fulfilling and successful journey for Makonde DWSSC which facilitated the

repairs, while opening a new journey for the Glynamel community who were reckoning that from

now on they were on their own in daily management of the scheme. In the end the day was not just

a handover ceremony, it was also a day for reflecting and at the end it all, the community and

DWSSC members had this to say, “It can be done and we gave done it”.

15. Gone are the days of www.donorprovides.com

Story By: Clayton Mafuratidze, Monitoring and Documentation Officer, FCTZ

Chikaka and Mutsau are communal villages in ward 3 of Zvimba Rural District in Mashonaland

West Province of Zimbabwe. Chikaka has 47 households of which 12 (25%) do not have latrines

at their homesteads, 20 (43%) have dilapidated toilets and only 15 (32%) have good and usable

latrines. Mutsau is a small village and neighbours Chikaka village to the north that has 16

households. Only 4 do not have latrines, 3 households have latrines in a bad state. Use of the bush

and open crop fields for defecation is common in both villages.

A group of seven Community Facilitators or Trainers comprising the ward EHT, one Village Health

Worker, one Village Child Protection Care Facilitator and 4 Ward Youth Officers from the Ministry

Official opening of the scheme and handover by the D.A Mr. Manyurapasi

26

of Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment, conducted a triggering exercise (Box 1)

on 18 February 2014 at Chikaka Business centre. Farm Community Trust of Zimbabwe (FCTZ)

facilitated the training of these facilitators conducted by Zvimba DWSSC with support from PWSSC

on Sanitation focused Hygiene Strategies and Approaches in December 2013. A total of 45

participants, 35 females and 10 males (from all age groups) attended the triggering exercise.

At the beginning of the meetings some participants showed ignorance on the exercise. “Our parents had no toilets yet they lived up to their nineties without contracting diarrhoea. So what has changed to make this meeting an emergency?” murmured one man in his late fifties. Children’s diapers are thrown all over like mangoes falling in summer noted the Runako Chikowore a Village Health Worker facilitating the meeting. “Ko remwana rinouraya here (Do children’s faeces kill?” shouted one bright and light skinned young lady. Those with toilets are not accommodative to those without, reasons being they “spoil and fear of witchcraft” amongst many. The triggering exercise was

exciting and mixed feelings were

shared.”After we collected the

faeces with the shovel from the

bush, we all could not

distinguish whether they were defecated by a child, a drunken man, elderly person or even

a teacher. Even after Madam Chikowore (Ward EHT) invited us to eat sadza when she mixed

it with a piece of hair no one volunteered to eat. This means faeces are faeces, either from

a child or adult can cause sickness” lamented the earlier woman who had noted that children’s

faeces are harmless, much to the applause of the rest of the participants.

The eagerness to build toilets, educate the community to use toilets and hygienically maintain them

was also shown at the end of the meeting. Artwell Chikaka (60) says, “My fellow villagers, it looks

like gone are the days of ‘www.donorprovide.com’. When we calculated medical expenses,

it has taught us that we can still build our own toilets. Yes there are poor families amongst

us but look at the consequences of not building toilets. I will build my own definitely”. Clara

Gomera adds, “We can form Savings clubs and use the money to buy cement whilst we

utilise household labour to dig the pits and moulding bricks”.

"OOh there it is. Runako Chikowore (Facilitator) points to faeces

during a Transect walk"

27

In the interim Mr Noah Gomera (55) chips

in,”We will encourage communal

sharing of toilets until everyone has a

toilet. We will educate the community

to use toilets properly. Let us also

make sure that our sons do not move

to new stands when there are no

toilets.” And one Frank Gomera (43) who

was enjoying his brown bottle during the

exercise provided an energiser towards

the end of the meeting, “I dig pits. I think

I will make lots of money by digging

toilet pits. Thank you for the

programme.”

After the exercise each village formed its

own Sanitation Action Group (SAG) and vowed to work glove in hand with the Community

Facilitators to ensure that the community do not use the bush as toilets. The eagerness to build

toilets and positive attitude shown at the end of the meeting proved that the triggering can change

negative attitudes towards use of open defecation.

16. Rural WASH Project Averts School Closure

By Mason Matowa (Snr Field Officer- Hurungwe), FCTZ

Chitenje Primary school is situated in Ward 9 of Hurungwe District, about 53 km along the

karoi to kazangarare road. The school was established over 25 years ago, with an

enrolment of 52 children and 2 teachers. The school has now grown to accommodate an

enrolment average of 487 children, thus 209 boys and 278 girls. The school is currently

being headed by Mr. Chenjerai, who has been at the helm of the school for the past 14

years.

During the December 2014 holiday period, a strong hailstorm destroyed a 14 squathole

multi-compartment toilet that left the school without even a single toilet to use. The

community panicked with the realization that the school was going to be closed down by

the local health officials.

"There we are!"Chikaka Village members show off their

village map with Open Defacation Spots

28

After realizing the catastrophe, the School Development Committee sprung into action, by

calling for an emergency meeting in the same month of December 2014 to map a way to

salvage the institution from closure. The meeting agenda was to mobilize resources as a

matter of urgency.

The SDC, led by Mr.Namaona and deputized by Mrs. Manyan’anya, presided over a full

SDC including the SDC for the secondary school (Which is still housed within the Primary

school buildings) on the 16th of January 2015. The committee later realized that they had

only 10 bags of cement and nothing more. Also of note was the presence of one Village

head Cde Zuze, who represented other village heads. This was a rewarding strategy to

convince other villages to contribute.

Mr. Namaona said, “We need to mobilize as many resources as possible, to save the

school. We are happy with the response of parents to come to the meeting and thank God

the Rural WASH project as just arrived at the right time. The Health authorities have given

us a short period to act, so we are on course”

The Blotted committee resolved and agreed to the following community based emergency

strategies;

That an urgent meeting be held with the village heads to mobilize materials such as bricks,

sand, digging of the pits, that each village be responsible for its own squathole in terms of

pit digging and all other material mobilization, that builders be sourced from the same

villages to do the construction, that the school mobilizes resources within the District,

through the DA’s office and the DEO’s office. It was quite heartening to see the full

participation of the community within the 14 villages surrounding the school.

As soon as the Assistant DA, Mr. Ngirazi, got the message, he quickly summoned the

Implementing partner of the Rural WASH project in the District, Farm Community Trust of

Zimbabwe (FCTZ) and instructed that the project include the school within the phase 2

sanitation construction.

Part of the collapsed toilets at Chitenje Primary School.

29

A tripartite team was urgently dispatched to the school to assess the damage. The team

comprising officials from the Ministries of Health and Education, met with the school

authorities (thus the head & SDC) to strengthen the earlier on agreed strategies, as well

as pledge more support required.

The project resolved to provide the school with cement, builder payment support,

reinforcement wire, fly screen and continued support from the local EHT. The EHT provided

the technical assistance in the construction of proper structures unlike the ones that

collapsed which were poorly constructed; the pits which were rectangular gave in to the

incessant rains. But now the new toilets have round pits lined from the bottom. The Ministry

of Health pledged to assist technically as well supervising the whole process of

construction taking place.

Within a period of less than three weeks, a lot has happened at the school with the

collective quest of providing sanitation to the school and averting imminent closure. The

collective effort of the parents, the school authorities as well as the RWP staff, has made

significant progress in the provision of providing the school with 10 squathole toilets by mid

February 2015.

At the time of writing this report, the builders are busy with the construction, and it is hoped

that the target will be met.

The efforts, within the shortest possible time, have made significant progress at the school,

which was on the verge of closure. Through collective efforts, such disasters, happening

anywhere in the district can be managed.

Lined pits and slabs for the new toilets under construction, to avoid collapsing.

30

17. Two Strokes, Clean Water

Story by: Clayton Mafuratidze (Monitoring and Documentation Officer) , FCTZ

Mupoto Village 1 residents in ward 17 of

Makonde District, Mashonaland West

Province of Zimbabwe have a reason to smile

now. At least one of their many challenges

they faced is resolved. Thanks to the Rural

WASH Project. Their nearest source of safe

water, Mupoto 1 borehole had frequent

breakdowns forcing the thirty households (31

Males, 39 Females and 61 children) to walk

some five kilometres to a nearby borehole to fetch safe water. This had gone for many years. “At

the next nearest borehole there were rules to be followed and one of them, Village 2

residents first. This was frustrating especially to the women some with their babies on their

backs” says the Village Head Mr. Dzawanda Mupoto (49)

In February 2014, Farm Community Trust of Zimbabwe (FCTZ) together with the District

Development Fund Water Division mobilised the village to form a Water Point Committee (WPC).

The WPC was formed and has seven members, five females and two males. The WPC together with

other WPC from the ward were trained in many issues. The Secretary of the WPC Gladys Aimade

(35) says, “We were trained in many issues but it is that of maintaining and ensuring that we

manage our own borehole that is mostly important to us. It is us who suffer when the borehole

breaks down so we have put measures to monitor proper use of the borehole. For example

children should be observed when pumping water. We are also fundraising. Each household will

contribute $1 per month and the money will be kept by the Treasurer. This fund is for borehole

maintenance. There is a duty roster for cleaning the surroundings of the borehole.”

“It is us who suffer when the

borehole breaks down so we have

put measures to monitor proper use

of the borehole.”

Progress of constructing 10 squatholes in less than 10 days, being monitored by FCTZ Field Officer

31

After the training the DDF technicians repaired the

borehole. They fitted the borehole with new three

pipes and tightened all the loose ends of the

boreholes, i.e. the bolts and nuts. DDF trained

local builders in constructing the apron. The

community played their part. Through the WPC,

the villagers were mobilised to bring river sand and

quarry stones for the apron construction. FCTZ

provided 5 bags of cement and paid the 3

builders $10 for the job. The Community

has fenced the borehole using wooden

poles so that animals do not come inside.

“We are very happy and happiness

brings with it peace of mind. After two

strokes of pumping, you get water. It is easy

especially for us women. The water itself is

very clean and we were told that when it

was tested it was certified clean and good

for drinking. It does not change colour like

some of the boreholes in this community”

says Angeline Gavaza (30) the WPC

treasurer.

Mr Temba Maponga a trained builder who

is constructing aprons for the repaired boreholes in the ward says, “The borehole environment is

clean, it is not muddy. We built a soak away. Our future plans are to build drinking troughs for our

animals and washing basins. In August most of the rivers would be dry and our animals struggle to

find water. We are also excited that we are seeing Government officials visiting us. It means

that we the villagers share the same vision now with our government, that is, ‘A good and better

life for all’. Thus this ZIMASSET programme will surely succeed if they continue coming to us at

the village”. This was in apparent reference to monitoring visits done by Makonde District Water

and Sanitation-Sub Committee (DWSSC)

18. Ooh Yes, I Can

Story Told by Twoboy Taisi

Written By: Clayton Mafuratidze (Monitoring & Documentation Officer) , FCTZ

My name is Twoboy Taisi from Kanyama village of Chemundi in ward 18 of Makonde District

Mashonaland West province of Zimbabwe. I was born in 1986 and that makes me twenty eight. I

am a Community Voluntary Worker with main interest in Gender and Culture issues. I got involved

in community works with one International Non Governmental Organization. I was shy and lacked

confidence when working with communities.

“We are also excited that we

are seeing Government

officials visiting us.”

"Two Strokes and clean water". Mupoto

Villagers enjoy water now

32

In March 2014, I was chosen by the community to go for training in Sanitation Focused Participatory

Health Hygiene Education (Saf-PHHE) in Chinhoyi. Officials from Farm Community Trust of

Zimbabwe and Ministry of Health and Child Care District Environmental Health Department and

other government departments facilitated the training. It was a five day intense training workshop

with practicals. It is transect walk that interested me the most as I was surprised that it’s not only

people from our village who practise open defeacation even those in Gudubu where we did our

practicals. It was interesting to see many women vomiting when they saw the faeces at close range.

After the training we were given targets to do in the community. In our ward we were supposed to

trigger 40 villages, that is to say mobilising the communities on the dangers of Open Defecation.

To date I have managed to conduct over twenty triggering sessions together with my other

colleagues.

There are many significant

changes that have occurred to me

since the training day. My interest in

community development work has

increased, my confidence levels are

high, my fellow villagers recognise my

work and I am proud of myself.

However the Most Significant

Change that I value most is that of

increased confidence level. Before

this triggering business, I rarely

addressed large gatherings. I was

very shy and did not know where to

start a speech and when to end. Now

I can articulate issues well especially

those to do with sanitation. I believe I

can now mobilise communities to engage in any good practices be it Health related or any aspect

of life. I see changes in most of these communities that we have triggered. The first notable one is

that communities are shunning the bush and sharing toilets, a think that was alien in these

communities due to various reasons.

I believe and am convinced that all the villages will be Open Defecation Free. We will continue monitoring the communities and remind them on the importance of constructing latrines without external support at their homesteads.

19. Homestead is full

Story by: Clayton Mafuratidze (Monitoring & Documentation Officer) , FCTZ

Erina Katsenga (90+) is an elderly widow from village 10 of ward 3 in Makonde District of

Mashonaland West Province of Zimbabwe. The village is some thirty kilometres west of Mhangura

Mine Town. All her five children passed away leaving her with the burden of caring for six orphans’

three boys Lloyd, Innocent and Irvine and three girls Tariro, Christabel and Ketai. Only two are in

school, Tariro and Christabel.

"Ready to go and Trigger"

33

The eldest, Lloyd (13) now fends for the family by herding cattle and doing any menial jobs.

Neighbours chip in to assist the family meet its food requirements, but these are not regular. For

its sanitation, the family like many in the village used the bush. The pit latrine was full. “A homestead

without a toilet is like a bare ground. It doesn’t have dignity. But what can I do. I am very old and

survive on gifts. It’s a sad situation for me. I am happy that the community remembered me. My

homestead is now full because of the toilet and at least presentable.” said granny Erina

Erina was chosen by the village to be a BVIP demo

latrine beneficiary under the Rural WASH Project.

Farm Community Trust of Zimbabwe, the Rural

WASH Project

Implementing

Partner for the

Government

of Zimbabwe

project in

Makonde is

promoting

Zero open defection by educating communities.

Communities are made to analyse their own

sanitation profile and are made aware of the risk

that Open Defaecation (OD) presents and to reinforce a natural sense of ‘Disgust’ about this

practice, triggering collective action to become ODF.

However there are vulnerable members of the community like Gogo Reina who cannot afford even

to build a uBVIP Latrine that requires a bag of cement. These are assisted by building materials.

However to make the model work, local builders are trained to construct latrines so that they build

latrines in the communities which they live at affordable prices.

To promote positive hygiene behaviour change a tippy tap was also constructed at the latrine to

promote hand washing with soap or ashes and water.

20. Good to be Back Mingling With Others

Story by: Clayton Mafuratidze (Monitoring and Documentation Officer), FCTZ

Ruvarashe Esnath Shayanewako (16) of Masiyarwa High School in Ward 3 of Zvimba District

Mashonaland West Province of Zimbabwe is a happy girl because she will complete her Ordinary

Level Studies with a peace of mind. This has been made possible, thanks to the Rural Water

Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Project, a Government of Zimbabwe project in which Farm

Community Trust of Zimbabwe is an implementing partner, funded by Ukaid and managed by

UNICEF.

Ruvarashe’s dream is to become a nurse. The dream was in shatters because her grandmother

struggled to pay her fees. Her father is late and the mother stays in Bulawayo and rarely come back

home. “I had lost hope. I saw no reason to go to school. My form two studies in 2013 were affected

a lot. I would be sent back home so often because I had not paid my fees/levies (US$30/term) in

“My homestead is now

‘full’ because of the

toilet.....”

"Homestead is full". Erina Katsenga stands in front of a toilet newly built by RWP

34

full. I lost a lot of learning time. My third term was

very horrible. I spent almost a month at home.

Sometimes I would cry” narrated a rather shy

Ruvarashe.

However the Rural WASH Project came to her rescue. Ruvarashe was chosen by the school Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) selection Committee to be a Rural WASH Block Grant Beneficiary. The BEAM Selection Committee in conjunction with School Authorities select vulnerable and disadvantaged children to benefit from BEAM and other programmes that come on board to partner schools in order not to create parallel structures. The Block Grant is an innovation that asks beneficiary schools to exempt vulnerable children from paying fees/levies for

a certain period in recognition of the material support rendered to them by the project towards construction of ten BVIP Squat hole latrines and a hand washing facility. Figure 1: Too shy but happy to be back at school!

“I am happy, excited and have a peace of mind and very

hopeful that I will pass my Ordinary level. My fees/levies

till I finish Form Four have been paid for by the Rural

WASH Project. My grandmother is very happy and

grateful to this gesture. I will work hard to pass my

studies. With this gesture I won’t disappoint and will pursue my dream of becoming a nurse.”,

echoed Ruvarashe. Surely the sky is the limit for you Ruvarashe.

21. A sound mind in a healthy body

Story by: Clayton Mafuratidze (Monitoring and Documentation Officer), FCTZ

Nqobile Daison Phiri (20) of Masiyarwa High School in Ward 3 of Zvimba District Mashonaland

West Province of Zimbabwe is a happy young man because he will write his Advanced Level

examinations in November 2014 without any worries. This thanks to the Rural Water Sanitation

and Hygiene (WASH) Project, a Government of Zimbabwe project implemented by Farm

Community Trust of Zimbabwe, funded by Ukaid and managed by UNICEF.

One day after completing his studies “Nqobie” as he is affectionately known by his peers hopes to be the Commissioner General of the Zimbabwe Republic Police. He believes he has the height and most importantly the discipline which is a prerequisite for one to lead the force. He is a footballer and believes that a ‘sound mind is in a healthy body’. However his journey of life is a sad one just like many of the unfortunate kids in the rural areas of the country.

His father passed on when he was young and his mother later remarried. Together with his young brother, they stayed with their maternal grandmother who struggled to pay for their fees. His step father had his own financial challenges and could not afford to pay fees for him and his brother. He finished his Ordinary Level Studies in 2012 and shortly got employed as a shopkeeper to supplement income back home. When results came out, he realised he had passed his Ordinary Level with good grades. He was encouraged to proceed to Advanced Level and is studying Business Studies, Geography and Shona.

“The Block grant is an innovation that asks beneficiary schools to exempt vulnerable children from paying fees/levies for a certain period...”

Too shy but happy to be back at school!

35

However in 2013, Nqobile failed to raise fees for the first term and would frequently be chased home to look for fees. He would play hide and seek with the authorities to gain entry into classrooms. However the Rural WASH Project came to his rescue. Nqobile was chosen by the School Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) selection Committee to be a Rural WASH Block Grant Beneficiary. The Block Grant is an innovation that asks beneficiary schools to exempt vulnerable children from paying fees/levies for a certain period in recognition of the material support rendered to them by the project towards construction of BVIP latrines and a hand washing facility.

“I am happy because all my fees for Upper Six have been paid for by the Rural WASH Project. I was also informed that my areas for Lower Six have been scrapped, thanks to the project again. Our fees/levies are $48 per term. This makes me more comfortable and focussed on my studies as I prepare for final exams this year. I used to think day and night on whether I would fulfil my dreams to lead the Police Force of this land.

I dream to be the Police Commissioner General one day. I have everything that it takes to be in the force, the height and intelligence. However the force needs brains too. This is why I am happy and excited that I will write my exams without any worries of fees/levies areas.”, echoed Nqobile. Surely the sky is the limit for you ‘General Nqobie’.

22. New borehole reduced time taken to and from the water point for a 74 years old blind woman

Storey by World Vision

Team

Name: Maggie Mbano (blind person)

Gender : Female

Age: 74

Address: Embondweni, Ward 29, Nkayi

“The Block grant is an innovation that asks beneficiary schools to exempt vulnerable children from paying fees/levies for a certain period...”

Smiling "Nqobie" soon after the interview at their

School Soccer Field.

36

I got to be involved with the UNICEF Rural WASH project sometime in 2014. In fact, in 2013 we

had a community meeting called by the Councillor at the local school, where villagers raised

concerns on the need for boreholes. The Councillor mentioned that, he was going to solicit for

assistance for a borehole to be constructed as the Rural Council had no fund for the drilling of

boreholes at that time. Later on in 2014 during the month of September, we were called to a

community meeting and advised that they was a UNICEF Rural WASH project that was going to

assist with the construction of a borehole.

The situation before the drilling of the borehole was very sad. In the past we used to have a

borehole near my homestead, this borehole collapsed living me with no choice but to fetch water

from the Shangani River. This water was used for all my domestic needs such as drinking, washing

and bathing. I was born blind and my only child passed away some time ago living me with two

grandchildren, these children are still young and not yet able to assist me, in carrying out many

household chores. As a result I had to walk for about 3km to the River to fetch water. I used to get

lost on several occasions as a result I would spend so much time trying to find my way to and from

the river. If I needed a lot of water, it meant that I would travel multiple times to the river. This was

not safe for me and I rarely had enough water to meet all our daily water needs.

People from the district team came and discussed with us about selecting a site for the borehole

for our community. In October 2014 a new borehole was drilled for us. The community members

were involved in fencing the borehole and I also participated in placing some stones and sand

around the borehole to avoid the area from being dump and slippery. I have noticed a lot of changes

as a result of this new borehole. I no longer have to spend so much time travelling and trying to

navigate my way to and from the Shangani River which is 3km from my home. I can easily find my

way to the new borehole located about 800meters from my home.

The most significant change for me is the reduced time taken to and from the water point, as I now

can ferry as much water as I need. For the future, I see a clean and hygienic community as a result

of this project, the community now has access to clean water close to their households.

37

23. Clean water comes to Ward 2 in Mahole

MAHOLE PIPED WATER SCHEME PROJECT – CASE STUDY

Name of contact person: Mr Stanley Langa

Position: Chairperson of the scheme ‘

Age : 47 years

Address: Ward 2 Insiza

Title of the story: Clean water comes to Ward 2

Mahole piped water scheme was established in the 1960s and it was supplying water to the clinic

and the business centre only. Initially there were just two standpipes one for the clinic and another

for the business centre. The main thrust of the water scheme was for it to supply water to the clinic.

Due to the erratic rainfall pattern which we experienced in this district which led to the boreholes

drying up, the local community then asked to use the scheme for their household water provisions.

The piped water scheme then broke down in the early 80s and we asked Rural council to assist

but they did not have funds to repair the scheme. We continued to solicit for funds but it was all in

vain. In 2013 finally our prayers were answered when the piped water scheme was selected for

rehabilitation under the Unicef rural WASH programme. We were informed by the District Water

and Sanitation Committee that our scheme would be rehabilted by the programme. Engagements

and planning meetings were held and we came up with the design of the scheme together with the

DDF. Rehabilitation of the scheme was then done starting with the installation of two water tanks.

A new powerful pump was installed to power water to the two new tanks all the way to the primary

school and clinic. Our area did not have any water bodies so were we very vulnerable with no water

at all.

The two new tanks now supply water to the clinic, one primary school and a secondary school.

The business centre and the community are still getting water from the old tank. Seven stand pipes

were installed along the road where residents come to collect water at their convenience.

Our local schools both primary and secondary were almost closed due to the perennial water

shortages in this area. Teachers were transferring frequently due to lack of water at the schools.

The toilets were always dirty and children would bring their own water to drink. Diarrheal cases

used to be reported every fortnight at the clinic. The primary school used to hire a car or scotch

cart to carry water for the teachers to use at school. The school used to depend on rain water but

due to the incessant rainfall pattern it almost closed.

The school had never had water since it was established in 1951. The piped water scheme was a

big breakthrough for the area in terms of water provision. Due to its vicinity teachers are now

scrambling to come and teach at the local school as they now know that water is now readily

38

available. School children now do agricultural activities unlike before when there was no water. The

clinic patients are now able to access water within the clinic, school toilets are now always clean

and this has improved the hygiene situation at the school. Children now have access to clean water.

The community now has access to clean water so they no longer travel long distances looking for

water especially the elderly and the sick. The community now has clean water which is easily

accessible .For the future, I see a community free from diarrheal diseases as we now have clean

drinking water.

Piped water scheme in pictures

24. Sanitation interventions make big changes in Sentente Village in Lupane District

Sanitation interventions make big changes in Sentente Village in Lupane District

By Charity Mvere, World Vision Team, 21 April 2015

Sentente Village in Lupane, is a community of 23 households with an average population of 115 people.

The Sentente Village Sanitation Action Group Chairperson, Elizabeth Ndlovu, describes the situation before

the UNICEF Rural WASH project came to the Village as dire. She mentions how most children in the village

suffered frequent bouts of diarrhea, with 1 child per household on average suffering from diarrhea at least

once a month. She also mentions how villagers would have to use large sums of money to ferry children

or other household members to and from the nearest clinic which is located about 75km from the village

The new tanks

The old tank

39

due to diarrhea. She mentions the main reason for the diarrheal cases being the absence of toilets in most

households, were people would resort to open defecation.

She mentioned that before the onset of the UNICEF Rural WASH project only 10 households had toilets.

She mentioned that due to the rampant practise of open defecation by community members, the bushes

were messy with human excrete all over the bushes. “There was a foul odour in the atmosphere”. She

mentions that it was rare for someone to travel about 100 meters without coming across human excrete,

one would have to be very alert while walking just to ensure that they did not step on excrete.

She also mentions that, the community in general had a

lot of flies, which would feed on the excrete before

contaminating food. She mentioned, how even after

using a hoe in the bush to cover excrete, the

domesticated animals such as the pigs would dig up the

excrete and eat. She also states that it was very

common for cattle and chickens to feed on human

excrete as it could be easily found within the

households and village surroundings. She mentioned

how children would openly defecate within the household yard, further providing chickens and dogs an

opportunity to feed on excrete. As a result of domesticated animals feeding on human excrete, they would

be prone to diseases, such that when one wanted to sell them as a way to raise money for the children’s’

school fees it would be difficult to get a buyer as they were condemned as diseased. She also mentioned

that due to the contamination of domesticated animals, one would not have peace of mind when eating

them, knowing that they feed on human excrete. She

mentioned that the main reason why most

households did not have toilets was due to negative

attitudes towards the construction of toilets.

“Traditionally our elders used to use the bush and it

was generally accepted that, using the bush was the

right way to relieve self, so there was a negative

attitude towards the construction of toilets”. She also

alludes that there was also lack of knowledge on

Health and Hygiene. She stated that with the advent of the UNICEF Rural WASH project, in April 2014, the

village has had many changes. She mentioned that the UNICEF Rural WASH project has managed to reduce

diarrheal cases, as it is now very rare to hear that a child is suffering from diarrhea. She mentioned that

one can hear of 1 or 2 cases in the whole village in three months. She states that due to the triggering

Villagers molding bricks for a vulnerable

community member

A pot rack in Sentethe village

40

sessions that were conducted with community members in the village as well as lessons on health and

hygiene, villagers have constructed toilets and other hygiene enabling facilities such as hand washing

facilities and pot racks.

She mentioned, how villagers have now adopted good hand washing practices. Before the project, only 10

households out of a total of 23 had toilets and just within a year the figure has grown by 82% to 20. The

four remaining households are in the process of constructing toilets and are almost finished. She mentions

how the UNICEF Project encouraged the formation of Sanitation Action Groups made up of the whole village

and led by a 7 member committee which was instrumental in the mobilization of community members to

construct toilets. She mentioned that the committee members

through the UNICEF project received training on community

mobilization approaches, which made them gain confidence in

approaching the villagers.

She mentions that at first there was resistance by community

members to construct toilets, as they could not raise the necessary

money to buy cement, however through the Sanitation Action

Group meetings, villagers came up with ideas of raising money.

“Each person brought a bag of mealies, others who did not have

mealies brought chickens”. She mentioned that everything was

combined and sold. The money collected was used to buy bags

of cement, which were allocated to those who had contributed.

She also mentions that when the community noted that they

were those vulnerable households who did not have any

chickens or mealies they decided that every household

contribute a dollar every week towards buying a bag of cement

for the vulnerable households, while World Vision also assisted

with 9 bags of cement which were used to construct toilets for the vulnerable households. She mentioned

that, a group of people were selected and trained on the construction of toilets under the UNICEF project,

these were instrumental in the construction of toilets. She mentions that the villagers were all united

towards a common goal of ending open defecation in the village. In line with community changes, the

Sanitation Action Group Chairperson mentioned that, since the inception of the Rural WASH project, the

villagers of Sentente have realized that together they can achieve much, and have engaged in other

activities to develop their community. “Everyone who is allocated land to construct a homestead is now

required to construct a toilet first before their dwellings”, she said. She also mentioned that meanwhile

those who have not finished constructing their toilets are freely using those of their neighbours, which has

A toilet in Sentethe village

Another toilet same village complete

with Handwashing facility

41

encouraged a spirit of sharing. “Before the UNICEF Rural WASH project, there was a foul odour in this

Village, now we breathe fresh air, thanks to this project, our future is bright, no more diarrheal cases

affecting our children”

25. Conversation with an extension worker …Where purpose is known initiatives are inevitable

“I just felt its good since I had information on my fingertips I felt it good to give them feedback on the information I had collected from them I thought it was going to motivate the community as they can now clearly see their gaps instead of generalising “hatina matoilets” (we don’t have toilets) not knowing how big or small is the gap”

The above are words from Courage Mutubuki a Field orderly for Ministry of Health and Child Care Environmental Health Department ward two. Courage took initiative on his own to provide feedback to the community using a school gathering that had been planned for the community. On the 4th of June 2015 Courage organised with the ward councillor to be given time during the Germany Agro Action handover of school latrines to give feedback on the status of the latrines and coverage in the ward from the data gathered using RWIMS field force.

Courage explained that he has found various ways of using RWIMS in addition to giving feedback to the communities towards triggering them to act. Courage mentioned that the system also made him reflect on the impact of his own work in community. He mentioned that having worked in the same ward for five years now VBCI allowed him to interact directly with the community and gauge if the work he has been doing has made a difference. “Having talked and taught the communities for the last five years on hygiene and sanitation the figures I entered reflected on the work I had been doing” said a contemplative Courage.

In his daily work Courage is seized with the task of disease investigation and follow up, premises inspection (both trading and non-trading) for

hygiene, he also undertakes Participatory Health and Hygiene training for communities. For five years Courage has been carrying out domiciliary visits to households in his ward talking and educating them about general environment and food hygiene issues

The RWIMS roll-out approach followed a structured cascading model with each tier passing down and transferring skills and capacity to the lower tier from the provincial team down to the extension workers. The extension workers formed the bedrock of the process as they are charged with the responsibility of actual collecting the primary data from the village level as well as the subsequent systems update perpetually.

Figure 2: Courage

Mutubuki Ext Worker

Ward 2

42

The nature of the process is such it is dependent upon not only the skill but the interest of the enumerator in the process. To build interest there had to be clear understanding of the usefulness and relevancy of the RWIMS not only to the extension officers. The survival and perpetual existence, sustainability and continued updating and use of the data is incumbent upon the extension officers.

When innovations are developed organically and the extension worker feel the need to reflect and verify their data without any external prompting it gives a clear indication that the system will have a perpetual existence after the partners have

withdrawn. The sentiments echoed by Courage on the sidelines of the review meetings demonstrate the level to which the extension workers have developed an appreciation of the RWIMS in terms of how it will improve their work and reporting.

26. RWIMS a benefit or a burden???

With just 6 months into implementation of the Rural Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Information and Management System (RWIMS) in Matabeleland North and South, the deployment has been likened to a journey. Like any other voyage, the process has had its fair of life filled with its successes and areas for development as the destination is to provide ICT Solution for improved service delivery in Zimbabwe.

RWIMS has replaced the paper system and has allowed local authorities to have real time data which is accurate and reliable for informed decision making. Previously Rural District Councils had to use paper systems to update their WASH data and this was cumbersome and now with just a click of a button, they now have updated and accurate data. If one is on a road journey you see signs along the way which include give way signs,

stop signs and speeds signs as well. On this particular journey on the deployment of RWIMS in the 14 Districts of Matabeleland North and South the reviews and monitoring exercises have been the signs on the journey. Over the last couple of weeks the teams conducted District Reviews as a way of assessing and measuring progress and also to evaluate key processes to inform future programming. The main thrust of the reviews was to develop a sustainability plan on the ICT Solution. The Reviews were an opportunity for the Rural District Councils to express the benefits of the web mobile based information system.

Figure 3: Enumerator Feedback Wall

43

One major stop sign was the Matabeleland North and South Learning and Review Workshop and the majority of stakeholders expressed that RWIMS was the ‘One Stop Shop for Programming and triggers minds for solutions and effective decision making. “Information is now easily and readily available and can be easily retrieved by anyone and many players can access the information wherever there are without coming to Umzingwane, they can just go online. The information allows for decision making for the district and identifying areas that require funding, “said Merjury Sikundla the Provincial Development Officer in Matabeleland South from the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development. The Provincial Administrator for Matabeleland North MaDhlamini echoed the same view, “WASH Information accessible at the click of a button.” However as stakeholders reflected on the ICT solution, a few indicated that RWIMS had limitations such as a weak and unclear feedback mechanism to the communities and the capacity inadequacies on ICT skills and the skills transfer not effective. Segmentation and Silo mentality is still prevalent in the local authorities and as a result some departments were cited as placing little value in WASH. To these few participants RWIMS was a burden and there is need for further engagement and improve on the cited confinements for them to accept RWIMS as an ICT tool for development. Although a few limitations were cited, the sentiments across the board of stakeholders have been that RWIMS is a benefit to the RDCs and has managed to close gaps in data collection. “It is centralized and is a heritage for the district that can be used later, something that we really needed for our WASH Information” said Hayi Mpofu the Community Development Officer in Umzingwane and also DWSSC Secretary. Although the journey is not complete, one can take note that RWIMS is a tool for evidence based policy advocacy and compliant for e-governance with the Knowledge WASH Status.

27. Of data, accountability and resource allocation in conditions of scarcity.

Developing countries Zimbabwe included face a humongous task when it comes to national budgeting and allocation of meagre resource available in the national coffers. By the very nature they are competing demands to a seemingly ever shrinking resource base. Prioritisation becomes key towards ensuring equal and equitable distribution of the meagre resources. In the absence of reliable real time data on the status and functionality of infrastructure from the village level the development planners and financiers are left to do guess work. The end result are distorted and uneven resource allocation, lack of accountability and failure to achieve national and global targets on access to clean drinking water and safe and adequate sanitation and hygiene facilities.

The cry from the districts and local level structures for years has been for them to input into the decisions of resource allocation. However with no means and capacity to illicit real time data

“We are in dire need of this data”, No words could capture the very level of thirsty and hunger for reliable, accurate and real-time data than these words from Bulilima District Administrator. As the nation endeavours to turn around the country’s fortunes one sure gap that the DA singled out was information reliable harmonised and real-time information that gives the state of access to social services status of the existing infrastructure.

Resources allocation and investment are at the core of sectoral development in the

developing countries. With sectors competing for meagre resources from the government coffers

real time data gives evidence for any advocacy and demand for resources.

44

The pursuit of reliable real time data has been the desire of government, development agencies

and local planners for years and attempts have been made at various ways of collecting and

managing data.

“The programme has closed some gaps in the district. The database is a heritage for the district

for now even for decades” continued the DA. The provincial team added their voice to relevancy

of a web based information management system “…thina [the Provincial Water, Sanitation and

Hygiene Sub-Committee) we are happy, just at the tip of a finger we can easily see what is

happening in a village”.

The gaps in data and information have been the sore

point in the development progress in developing

countries. International agencies and partners decry

the fact that information is either not available, stale or

just not reliable. In this regard RWIMS is stepping in the

vacuum for the WASH in Zimbabwe closing the gap

between information and resources making it easier to

have direct targeting and prioritisation and in the same

vein providing tool a monitoring tool with distinct

reference and base line and opportunity for online real

time tracking of interventions.

28. So much more than just data

“I have more intimate knowledge of my ward”

“The information I gathered is very important in my work”

“I think I now know my ward better”

The Rural Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Information Management System (RWIMS) has been described applauded for its direct programming related benefits. There is no dispute as to the programming and planning usefulness of the RWIMS. However in Bulilima and Mangwe there has been some unanticipated spinoffs that go beyond data and information management. The above quoted sentiments from the government extension worker who did the enumeration stand as evidence of the unintended and far reaching benefits that the extension workers derived from the exercise.

These sentiments poured through during an intense process of reflection. Both the extension workers and the district officials (the DWSSC) concurred that the exercise has managed to go beyond the stated objectives to include increased work relationship, peer to peer support and moral boosting as the extension officers relied on each other and build relations that go beyond the RWIMS across departments from Agritex to health departments.

Figure 4: District Administrator Bulilima District

Figure 5: Extension Workers

Reflections

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The inter sectoral understanding and cooperation build during the exercise will form one of the ward and village level anchors for not only WASH interventions but the tone has been set for development programmes to piggyback on this cooperation established.

The roll-out of RWIMS required that the extension workers cover each and every village and

account for each and every household in a given ward through a village consultative process.

Enumerators revealed that never before had such an ‘intimate’ relationship with their respective

wards and the local leaderships been experienced. In turn this has much positive implication on

their everyday work in their respective departments.

Extension workers and community relationship was described as the make or break point in

community development intervention. The extension workers explained how the process of

interacting with each village head and each

village as a whole will go a long way in

improving their daily work be it in agricultural

extension work or health.

Furthermore the District Water and Sanitation

Sub Committee (DWSSC) reflected on the

ICT skills acquisition and innovative

application of the mobile phones and other

ICT gadgets used. Speaking on the side-lines

participants echoed that from this exercise the

districts have come to a realisation of how

more and more mobile phones can be used

innovatively in the development of hitherto

remote and peripheral districts and wards.

Referring to herself and peers as “born before technology”, the district health officer for Mangwe

praised the innovation and intoned that beyond RWIMS the mere interfacing and familiarisation

with the mobile system of data collection has been an eye opener and transformed the way they

view the use of technology. With this positive transformation in attitudes the RWIMS roll-out has

potential of harnessing a critical mass of senior government officials at district levels who can drive

forward the agenda of using mobile phones and other simple ICT gadgets.

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29. Open defecation-free communities – Apostolics lead the way in Masvingo Province

Until recently, Tanatswa Chimondo of Zaka in Masvingo was like most children in the village of

Maregere when it came to relieving himself.

“I used to poop outside. Just over there near the hills,” the ten-year-old giggled, pointing to the

small bushes near his family’s home in the hilly village of Maregere, about 100km east of Masvingo

city in Zimbabwe.

“We did not have a latrine in our house. I thought everyone did that,” he quipped.

His assumption about basic toilet protocol amongst Chief Nhema’s more than 2,871 residents

which Maregere village falls under is largely correct.

“You cannot imagine how difficult it was for us,” Headman Ishmael Maregere who is also the leader

of the Apostolic Sect in the area said during the Open Defecation Free (ODF) status celebrations

that were held at his village.

Still fresh in their memories, the effects of the 2008/09 cholera outbreak that killed more than 4,000

people countrywide and affected more than 100,000 – the Apostolics in Maregere village say they

do not want to relive the same ordeal again.

According to the Zimbabwe Demographic Health Survey (2010/11), the Apostolics have been a

major contributor to the high rate of maternal mortality and have hampered efforts to reduce

maternal mortality.

“During the cholera outbreak in 2008/09, we lacked knowledge as members of the Apostolic Sect

and it was only when we were engaged with Government officials from the Ministry of Health and

Child Care in 2013 that we realized that we had to change our old ways,” said Headman Maregere.

No laughing matter

Safe sanitation impact: Headman Ishmael Maregere leads the Apostolics in rural Masvingo celebrate becoming ‘open defecation free’

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In rural Zimbabwe, as recently shown from the 2014 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) open

defecation is hardly a laughing matter.

Although modern toilets are plentiful across urban parts of Zimbabwe, basic latrines are less

common in some rural areas such as those in Masvingo and Matabeleland North where about 60

per cent of the country’s 13 million inhabitants live.

This in turn will impede the country’s UN Millennium Development Goal of reducing by half the

proportion of people without access to basic sanitation by 2015.

Close to 60 per cent of households in Zaka District – where Maregere is located – have no access

to functioning latrines, which means adults and children alike have no option but to defecate in the

open?

Of Zaka’s nearly 180,000 inhabitants, only one in four has access to a toilet that works: Ending

defecation in the open especially among the members of the Apostolics who are traditionally

objectors of modern methods of sanitation will need more than just building toilets – building

awareness will also be key.

Since June 2012, the Department for International Development (DFID) and Swiss Agency for

Development and Cooperation (SDC) with technical support from UNICEF funded the Rural WASH

programme to the tune of US$59 million. The programme covers 33 districts in the five provinces

of Masvingo, Midlands, Matabeleland North and South and Mashonaland West.

“The object of this programme is to declare a village open defecation-free by bringing about

behaviourial change through mobilization, especially among the conservative members of the

Apostolic Sects,” said Mr. Gwitima the Provincial Medical Director for Masvingo.

Old habits die hard

But changing habits does not come easy.

Earlier efforts to encourage members of the Apostolics to build latrines in the area failed largely

because they did not include local residents in the building process, but also because they failed

to point out to the community the many health and financial benefits latrines can bring.

As a result, residents could not maintain the latrines or simply did not really understand their value

– a fact that the current Rural WASH programme was quick to pick up on.

Shame, shock and disgust

Part of the Rural WASH’s campaign to raise awareness is to develop a sense of shame, shock and

disgust among local residents regarding their current toilet practices – in an effort to get

communities themselves to understand the latrines’ true importance and the solution.

Facilitated by social mobilisers from the community, residents visit those areas commonly used for

defecation purposes in their village.

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Once there, they are then asked to calculate approximately how much human excrement they might

produce on a daily basis – an embarrassing, but revealing moment for all.

Assuming World Health Organization estimates that the average person can produce as much as

1.5 kilograms of faeces and urine per day, Maregere’s Apostolic community produced close to

3,000 kilograms of waste daily or upwards of 20,000 kilograms a week – all out in the open.

“Many of them had no idea how big a problem it really was – or the health implications,” said Mrs.

Birimi the Deputy Director for the National Action Committee for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.

But with piles of excrement in Maregere’s surrounding fields, the risk that germs could be brought

back into their homes and find their way into their food, either on their shoes, or through other

sources, including livestock or local springs from which residents drink, was soon understood.

Health benefits

During trainings from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, residents in Maregere village were

asked for possible links with common diseases including diarrhea, typhoid and malaria – and the

resulting increased health costs.

“We simply were not aware that these unhygienic practices led to diseases or that we could prevent

them,” said Headman Ishmael Maregere, noting the importance of the moment and why he himself

had decided to finally build a latrine.

But with permanent latrines costing nearly US$100 to build, many residents still complain they do

not have the means to do so. However, the Rural WASH team led by the Ministry of Health, UNICEF

and CARE International in Masvingo Province provides technical advice as to how they can use

cheaper local materials. A simple pit with a privacy wall and seat can cost as little as $5.

Impact

The campaign to stamp out open defecation – one community at a time – appears to be having an

impact, despite some initial hesitancy.

It is also being replicated in other parts of the country. Open defecation-free and solid waste-free

communities, is already part of Zimbabwe’s economic blueprint, Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable

Socio-Economic Transformation (ZimAsset) approved in 2013.

Since March most Zaka’s residents have dug temporary latrines, while others have made theirs

more permanent.

“I was able to dig the latrine myself,” said another member of the Apostolics, Madzibaba Mafusire.

“Now I’m glad I did,” the 46-year-old said, recalling how just a few months back he used to defecate

in the open.

“It sure is easier now,” he smiled.

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30. Picture Collage on Demand Led Sanitation

Different versions of self-

sponsored latrines in Gokwe

South (Top is the Standard BVIP

latrine and the rest are locally

adopted versions of uBVIPs)

[Photo by Africare/2016]

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31. Keeping it Flowing: Rekindling the connection

By Noel Mushangwe

Gamuchirai narrating how they have been finding it difficult to bath and look good for his husband

due to water crisis

Imagine spending 6 hours just to get a single 20 liter bucket of water for your family to survive each

day, imagine that family taking turns to skip bathing for 2 or 3 days per week in unforgiving sun

temperatures ranges between 30 and 40 °C and then imagine failing to fulfil conjugal rights with

your partner because of bad odor, with all the consequent negative impacts upon their health and

wellbeing. This used to be the devastating reality for families in Patsikadova Village, Sayi 3 ward 4

of Gokwe South District.

Patsikadova is a village located in Sayi 3, Ward 4 in Gokwe South District. This village is home to

about 25 households, approximately 180 people.

Gamuchirai Sibanda (39), a mother of four (4) children, remembers a time when she had to walk

six (6) kilometers, approximately four (4) hours to and from the nearest Matibini village to get a

single (20 liter) bucket of water after the borehole in this village broke down in 2010, for her family

to survive each day.

Gamuchirai explains, “The nearest water sources are almost the same distance (Six - 6 Kilometers)

from my home. But to get water from Matashu village (Deep Well), we had to pay US $10 per year.

Because of the higher charges we had to get water from a swamp in Matibini Village for free.”

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Digging for water from a contaminated swamp was not easier for the women of Patsikadova village.

It was more of “the early bird gets water’. “The earlier (around 4 am) one gets there, the better,

otherwise you have to wait for two (2) hours to scoop a 20 liter bucket of water,” she said as she

continued to narrate her ordeal.

Water is essential for proper health and well-being. For Women in Gamuchirai’s village it went

further than that, it is a vital cog to everything they do and who they are. “We had to take turns to

bath, my three daughters, my son, myself and my husband, each pair or group had their specific

and special day” she said shyly.

Naturally intimacy between married couples in the village took a nosedive. As Gamuchirai

explained “We could not fulfill our obligatory duty to one another because of bad odor, everything

around us bodies, clothes, blankets…was dirty.”

Both humans and livestock in Patsikadova village were in desperate need for water. To address

this pressing daily issue. Gamuchirai and her husband, joined other men and women in the village

to participate in the borehole rehabilitation work in September 2015.

With support from the trained Village Pump Minders (VPMs) and new spares received under the

Rural WASH Program, a Government of Zimbabwe Program being funded by DFID through the

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the rehabilitation took five days to complete.

Another villager, who is in the Water Point Committee, Isaac Mucherenji explained the process “We

had to dig about 6 metres around the casing, to fish (remove) the collapsed pipes and rods.” The

community worked in groups of 10 people per day, with the process being monitored by the District

Water and Sanitation Sub Committee (DWSSC) and Africare (Implementing partner for Gokwe

South District).

Gamuchirai and the rest of the village are extremely pleased with the rehabilitated borehole. “We

are happy now that the borehole has been rehabilitated.” She said.

Rehabilitating a clean source of water in their village enables them to carry out their domestic

activities and benefits the livestock. There is no comparison when it comes to quality. The swamp

would produce contaminated water, whereas the borehole ensures clean, abundant water.

The borehole is much nearer to Gamuchirai’s home than the swamp she used to rely on. “The

borehole is close to my home (450 meters), I can now send my children to fetch water, spend time

with family and attending to the fields. I am happy,” she adds.

Gamuchirai’s village felt that the contaminated and dirty water had contributed to widespread

stomach ailments among the villagers. But thanks to the rehabilitated borehole, these complaints

have all but disappeared. Children are now attending school regularly and on time as water is now

closer.

The repaired water point has brought a multitude of changes to the community, including the

establishment of a Water Point Committee (WPC) that has been trained to oversee maintenance

of the borehole.

The villagers shared their commitment to maintaining the new water point “All I want is to maintain

the borehole like one of my own children” said Gamuchirai.

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32. The Rural WASH programme –“A relief for Gomba Primary school

Gomba Primary school is located 76km north/east of Mupandawana Growth Point. It has an

enrolment of 256 Girls and 207 Boys. The school has five female and 4 male teachers.

Before the Rural WASH Programme intervention, the school had very dilapidated toilets that posed

a danger to the children; there was no means for the School Development Committee to ensure

the safety and dignity of the children when using the latrines. The latrines had 10 squat holes for

girls and 8 for boys and all were in a very bad state.

As per the Rural WASH Programme implementation, the District Water and Sanitation Sub

Committee (DWSSC) undertook a school sanitation assessment and recommended that ten squat

holes need to be erected at the school including a tank for hand washing with soap to ensure the

children had access to safe and gender disaggregated latrines as well as opportunity to practice

hand washing with soap at critical times.

“It was a big challenge to the School Development Committee to construct the toilets as the school

have no funds to buy cement and pay builders. The school parents are not able to pay school fees

for their children due to the economic hardships and this have been a nightmare for us to ensure

safety of these children as they entered these dilapidated toilets”, said the SDC chairperson. There

were some cracks at the back of all the toilets and anytime they could collapse. Looking closely at

The entrance to the Old Girls’ toilet before the Rural WASH Programme intervention

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them one would be mistaken for an old block of toilets deserted in the early seventies due to the

state the of the toilets.

Seeing that the school had received assistance from the Rural WASH Progamme, the parents

contributed immensely through provision of labour for the digging of the ten squat-hole pits. All

10,000 bricks that were used to construct the toilets were moulded by the parents themselves.

Water collection for construction was assigned to those parents that had challenges in paying fees

for their children as a way of ensuring that they pay off their dues. The project on its part paid the

builders fees

“To us this is a BIG blessing as to have received this assistance from DFID working with UNICEF

through DWSSC and CARE International. This gesture is a sign of good heart to our beloved

children who come from the poor peasant farmers in Gomba area,” said the school headmistress.

“You see, these kids are so innocent, if one was to be trapped inside the toilet it was going to be

so disheartening to hear that the SDC and school head have failed to address the plight of these

innocent souls, but due to poverty this was likely to happen” ,she lamented. The school toilets were

a real danger to the children as there was also a major danger of snake bites as there were some

holes around the toilets. Gomba Primary school children now enjoy the use of BVIP toilets that

have been constructed for them. Amongst the ten squat-hole toilets, there are also two squat holes

meant for the disabled, i.e. one for girls and one for boys.