WaterAid's plans in Zambia: 2005-2010

In its strategy for Zambia running from 2005 - 2010 WaterAid sets out its plans and activities for this period.

Sanitation and hygiene work will be a key focus over this time, notably in Monze and Livingstone towns and in rural areas where access to latrines is particularly low.

During this strategy period WaterAid will move out of some of the current districts it works in and move to others where there is more need and fewer organisations involved in water and sanitation provision.

Reducing poverty

Zambia is off track in meeting the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets of halving the proportions of people without water and sanitation from 1990 to 2015. The amount of  money currently spent on water and sanitation is $35 million per year, $19 million short of the amount needed if the MDGs are to be reached.

This is further hindered by a lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities for the two government ministries involved in water and sanitation provision, and the tendency for other support agencies such as NGOs to work outside the Government framework, resulting in poor coordination in water and sanitation work throughout the country.

Christina Pede, Chipongwe village, Zambia

Credit: WaterAid / Jim Holmes

"This water has really helped my family. The distance we walk to collect water and carrying heavy loads has reduced a lot. My children are now able to go to school, but in the past by the time they had gone down and collected water they couldn't go to school. Now they can go with no problems at all.

I have even started growing a garden for some food. I am growing tomatoes, rape and other vegetables for my family. Having the water so close means that I can use the water to grow this food too, before we just couldn't do this."

Political will is therefore needed to get the MDGs back on track. WaterAid will expand its work with the Government to try to change policies and ensure funding for water and sanitation is increased and the money is spent in the most appropriate ways.

Surveys of water and sanitation facilities throughout the country have found that they are distributed inequitably. Greater focus is placed on water projects rather than sanitation and work is concentrated in urban areas rather than rural ones.

To help change this WaterAid and its partners will look at the MDGs in a local context to see what needs to be done in each district, rather than the country as a whole.

It is hoped that these local targets will ensure funds are distributed more equitably to the areas most in need. WaterAid will work closely with its local government partners and develop their capacity so that they are able to meet these local targets.

Issues of sustainability are also crucial. Surveys have found that many water points in Zambia are not functioning as they should - hindered by falling water tables and inadequate community involvement in their maintenance and management.

WaterAid will continue to work closely with communities to ensure they are fully involved in projects and also influence other organisations so that they replicate this approach in their work.

For projects to be long lasting the technologies used need to be suitable to the environmental, financial and social conditions of the benefiting community.

School sanitation and hygiene initiatives will also be central to our work. All future projects will also look at the sustainability of water resources, a step which is vital due to the country's falling water tables.

Finally, WaterAid will continue to ensure that projects address the needs of the most marginalised groups such as the poor, women, the elderly and disabled.

As HIV/AIDS sufferers are particularly prone to water-related illnesses clean sanitation and water can greatly improve their quality of life.