In 2017, Skat raised funds from ZH2O/Drink&Donate to partner with Africa AHEAD to kick start the Self Supply Programme again in Zimbabwe with a pilot project. This consisted of 60 Upgraded Family Well in a six month programme costing US$35,000, including all management costs. This pilot has provided water to a household at US$563, or per person at US$97 per person. Africa AHEAD with the full participation of the community, has refreshed the demand for safe water by promoting ‘safe-water- chain’ knowledge within the communities, train well-diggers and masons, involve local private partners in rural water supply including water supply project management and documentation for villagers, and, most important, monitoring water quality in the old and new water points as well as ensuring water safety through promoting household water treatment. Communities paid the trained masons and well-diggers to provide their own UFW construction. Targeted subsidies were given to vulnerable households (child-headed households and the very poor and disabled community members) as demonstration units where the other community members will be able to copy and replicate.
Activities
Four Environmental Health Technicians (EHTs) and 16 masons were trained in well-siting, well-digging and lining. 60 wells were dug and lined at targeted households belonging to vulnerable members of the community, which served as demonstrations and models for the capable households. Of this number 52 wells were fitted with rope & washer lifting devices and 8 had tube wells. All CHC received training in general hygiene, collection, safe storage and use of water.
Beneficiaries
In total, 41 villages participated in this project which included working with 18 CHCs and 356 households as well as one school and 4 communal wells. In total 2,856 people benefited from clean drinking water. The number of households sharing the new water source were higher than targeted in the proposal, as there was an expectation of 4 households sharing one well, whilst in reality the average for 8 households sharing, with a range from 2 to 26 households. Only 11 wells were used exclusively by one household only. This reflects the desperation for water protection in the Makoni District, which is comparative well off compared to other areas of Zimbabwe.
For detailed information and pictures of each borehole please click here
