Monday 20 February 2012
British Airways Flight BA 254 - Monday 20 Feb
And now I'm returning on that jet plane - so that's it, for now!
All good things have to come to an end - Sunday 19 Feb
Our last day in Zambia has arrived all too quickly, tomorrow we'll be on a flight back home. Although we spend a couple of hours bartering in a local market, it's quite a reflective day for me.
Ngombe, the area we visited yesterday, really crystallised the importance of education and awareness in the overall work programme of giving everyone access to clean, safe water and sanitation. After all, why are so many people using the filthy river for washing etc, and not taking advantage of the help and support that's available for new latrines.
In a similar way you could ask why did the people of Muzoka allow their water pump to get broken and to remain broken for so long.
At the start of the week I was really struggling to understand why it was going to take over a year before the people of Haboombe village would get their water pump. If I could have created a bore hole for them that day I would have - it might have taken a little longer to instal the hand pump though, as it's not something I make a habit of carrying around with me!
Now though, I understand the importance of the overall programme, of making sure people understand the link between using dirty water and ill health and why sanitation is crucial. Key to delivering this overall program are all the partners WaterAid work with, which include:
It's been a privilege to see the work already being carried out by some truly inspiring people.
Thank you, and I'm sure I'll be back - after all who else is going to rescue the frog!
Ngombe, the area we visited yesterday, really crystallised the importance of education and awareness in the overall work programme of giving everyone access to clean, safe water and sanitation. After all, why are so many people using the filthy river for washing etc, and not taking advantage of the help and support that's available for new latrines.
In a similar way you could ask why did the people of Muzoka allow their water pump to get broken and to remain broken for so long.
At the start of the week I was really struggling to understand why it was going to take over a year before the people of Haboombe village would get their water pump. If I could have created a bore hole for them that day I would have - it might have taken a little longer to instal the hand pump though, as it's not something I make a habit of carrying around with me!
Now though, I understand the importance of the overall programme, of making sure people understand the link between using dirty water and ill health and why sanitation is crucial. Key to delivering this overall program are all the partners WaterAid work with, which include:
- Local Authorities
- Environmental Health Bodies
- Health Coordinators
- Local Water and Sewerage Companies.
It's been a privilege to see the work already being carried out by some truly inspiring people.
Thank you, and I'm sure I'll be back - after all who else is going to rescue the frog!
No words can describe this adequately - Saturday 18 Feb
An early check out from The Golden Pillow Lodge (sad) and we're hitting the road for our 3 hour drive back to Lusaka. It's quite exciting to be returning to the capital and seeing the different environment WaterAid work in, but it's also very sad as it means the "trip of a life-time" is coming to an end. We've seen so much, had some wonderful experiences and met some amazing people - I wondered what this afternoon could bring us that we hadn't already seen is some ways. But I needn't have worried...
After a quick check in at our home for the next 2 days - the Cresta Golf View Hotel, Lusaka - we headed off to the Ngombe settlement, which is an unplanned urban settlement on the outskirts of Lusaka - a slum in other words. The settlement has little in the way of infrastructure and services and is one of about 39 such settlements in Lusaka. The usual welcome committee awaited us - but this time no singing and dancing, which I guess is one of the many differences between rural and urban settlements - a very different community spirit.Over the next half an hour or so we learnt a little about the background to the settlement - the population was around 35,000 back in 2005 but had now grown to some 80,000 - staggering - how do you control and manage something like that. The area is classified as an unplanned settlement, yet we were told that people bought the land that their houses stood on - something didn't seem quite right to me and I sill don't fully understand what this practically means.
However this "uncontrolled" expansion certainly seems to be part of wider problems in Ngombe. We also learnt that initially only 3% of the population had access to latrines (3%....) but this has now increased to 50/60% - still some way to go then.
Unfortunately many of the pit latrines are less than 10m away from some of the boreholes that supply neighbouring households, you can only imagine the potential contamination.
Soon the meeting was over and we began our "tour" of the area. Our first stop was only about 1km away but we drove there - I'm not sure whether this was for safety reasons, or whether it was just easier. Whatever the reason, we were soon at the home of Rosemary (born in 1962) - the proud owner of one of the new pen"VIP" latrines (or demonstration latrines as they are also called). Rosemary received most of the materials from the Living and Innovation project, which is a group of partners working in the settlement to try and improve the conditions. Rosemary then dug the pit and built the latrine. She was extremely proud of her latrine (it as actually padlocked and spotlessly clean inside) but interestingly she wouldn't let her neighbours use it - even though she used to use theirs previously! The aim is that with a number of households building these new type latrines a kind of ripple affect will happen. Rosemary explained that her family's health had significantly improved as a result of the new latrine and that there was also a water kiosk just around the corner fro her house where she was able to get clean water. This didn't seem so bad really.
And then we moved on - towards the river... Here, on the banks and surrounding area, I saw one of the most saddening sights of my life. A river full of everything unmentionable that you can think of was being used for washing, cooking and cleaning pots and pans. Plus there were children playing in it, which inevitably meant they were drinking the water. This is despite the fact that there are a number of water kiosks in the settlement, granted there isn't enough but there are some. I asked if it was the cost of the clean water that made them used the river, but I was told no, it's more likely to be for convenience and their lack of understanding of the link between dirty/filthy water and so awful health problems.
And then we went to see Gracey. Gracey was born in 1965 and owns as property with her husband (who is currently unemployed). They have a number of children and rent out part of the property to 3 other families. This is quite a typical situation in the settlement and there are also a number of rented properties where the landlord doesn't live in the area. There is well close to Gracey's' house from which she is able to get water for cleaning and washing - she knows not to drink from it and goes to a nearby water kiosk for her drinking water. However, on turning around we saw the latrine the families use - it's not one of the new type but a basic pit latrine from which an "overflow" has been created that means all the contents run straight into the very close river that no doubt provides the water for Gracey's well and is where many of her family and friends will wash and bath - maybe her own children even play in it.
Gracey seemed unaware of the implications the overflow would create, and the 2 Wash Promoters who accompanied us to her house, started to explain the problems the latrine was causing, and how she could get help to build a new one. Wash Promoters are a small group of local people who travel around the settlement explaining the importance of clean water and sanitation and what help is available for families. They are an exceptional group of people, albeit there is currently only a very small number of them. Many, many more are needed and hopefully this is one of the things that could be addressed if the area is able to get more intervention from WaterAid and other organisations.
We spent another hour or so talking to other people who lived close to the river and also the children, who like all the other children we've met in Zambia are full of smiles and laughter - the innocence of childhood. Eventually it was time to leave, but not before I'd made sure that the right people knew about the problems the latrine at Gracey's property was causing and arranged for someone to start the process of getting a new one - hopefully. Again, education and awareness seem to be key to helping the people of this settlement have a healthier (and hopefully) longer life through the access to safe, clean drinking water and sanitation...
After a quick check in at our home for the next 2 days - the Cresta Golf View Hotel, Lusaka - we headed off to the Ngombe settlement, which is an unplanned urban settlement on the outskirts of Lusaka - a slum in other words. The settlement has little in the way of infrastructure and services and is one of about 39 such settlements in Lusaka. The usual welcome committee awaited us - but this time no singing and dancing, which I guess is one of the many differences between rural and urban settlements - a very different community spirit.Over the next half an hour or so we learnt a little about the background to the settlement - the population was around 35,000 back in 2005 but had now grown to some 80,000 - staggering - how do you control and manage something like that. The area is classified as an unplanned settlement, yet we were told that people bought the land that their houses stood on - something didn't seem quite right to me and I sill don't fully understand what this practically means.
However this "uncontrolled" expansion certainly seems to be part of wider problems in Ngombe. We also learnt that initially only 3% of the population had access to latrines (3%....) but this has now increased to 50/60% - still some way to go then.
Unfortunately many of the pit latrines are less than 10m away from some of the boreholes that supply neighbouring households, you can only imagine the potential contamination.
Soon the meeting was over and we began our "tour" of the area. Our first stop was only about 1km away but we drove there - I'm not sure whether this was for safety reasons, or whether it was just easier. Whatever the reason, we were soon at the home of Rosemary (born in 1962) - the proud owner of one of the new pen"VIP" latrines (or demonstration latrines as they are also called). Rosemary received most of the materials from the Living and Innovation project, which is a group of partners working in the settlement to try and improve the conditions. Rosemary then dug the pit and built the latrine. She was extremely proud of her latrine (it as actually padlocked and spotlessly clean inside) but interestingly she wouldn't let her neighbours use it - even though she used to use theirs previously! The aim is that with a number of households building these new type latrines a kind of ripple affect will happen. Rosemary explained that her family's health had significantly improved as a result of the new latrine and that there was also a water kiosk just around the corner fro her house where she was able to get clean water. This didn't seem so bad really.
We spent another hour or so talking to other people who lived close to the river and also the children, who like all the other children we've met in Zambia are full of smiles and laughter - the innocence of childhood. Eventually it was time to leave, but not before I'd made sure that the right people knew about the problems the latrine at Gracey's property was causing and arranged for someone to start the process of getting a new one - hopefully. Again, education and awareness seem to be key to helping the people of this settlement have a healthier (and hopefully) longer life through the access to safe, clean drinking water and sanitation...
Sunday 19 February 2012
Solar powered water works - Friday 17 Feb
Another visit this morning to one of SWASCO's water plants. But this time a solar powered one that supplies water to Chisekeshi, which is a peri-urban area about an hour's drive from Monze. Although quite basic in design, the solar powered plant appears functional. Although it clearly doesn't operate when it's cloudy and when there are 3 cloudy in a row the area can go without water - no "back-up" batteries / storage.
In this particular area the local community get their water from a number of "water kiosks" that have been built. Very simplistically these are manned water pumps where people have to pay for their water once they've filled their containers up. In some areas people pay in advance for the water and a record is kept of how much water they take (via a record book) and in other areas people pay when they fill their containers up. The process seems to work well and there is a definite sense of pride in the community and, so I'm told, very little sickness these days. Prior to the water being supplied by SWASCO water was collected from shallow wells within the local community. Although SWASCO believe the supply is adequate for the area at the moment, the community would like to see more water kiosks being installed and a larger storage tank installed at the water plant to minimise the risk of having no water on "cloudy" days. During the rainy season - November to April - people collect rain water from their roofs etc to use on their crops etc - rain water harvesting at its best!
Unfortunately the community we visited in the afternoon didn't give me the same sense of pride. The area we visited, Muzoka, is an urban informal settlement, that hasn't had any intervention - yet. On arrival in Muzoka we went to what was a little bit like a public meeting would be at home. There were representatives from Monze District Council, Southern Water and WaterAid Zambia. The meeting had been called as part of the first stage of assessment by Monze DC etc so they could start to understand the issues the people had, how much knowledge they had about the importance of sanitation and the link between dirty water and various illnesses. Everyone seemed to just want "someone" to give the community several water points. There seemed to be very little understanding of the need for education and no overall community sense of ownership. What really brought this home to me was that about 500m away from where the meeting was held there was a broken water pump. Apparently this pump, which was in a very central position, was installed by a charity about 6 years ago.
However there was no evidence of the community "owning" the pump - no water community set up, no one to regularly maintain the pump etc etc and so it got broken, and remains broken. This is such a shame, and a shocking waste of resources. Unfortunately for many of the people living in this area this broken pump means they use dirty water from a very shallow "well" at the side of the main road and railway track - which at the time of our visit had a film of diesel on the top of it!
Once again our visits today have demonstrated to me now important the overall education and awareness is, and of getting community buy-in - simple!
Unfortunately the community we visited in the afternoon didn't give me the same sense of pride. The area we visited, Muzoka, is an urban informal settlement, that hasn't had any intervention - yet. On arrival in Muzoka we went to what was a little bit like a public meeting would be at home. There were representatives from Monze District Council, Southern Water and WaterAid Zambia. The meeting had been called as part of the first stage of assessment by Monze DC etc so they could start to understand the issues the people had, how much knowledge they had about the importance of sanitation and the link between dirty water and various illnesses. Everyone seemed to just want "someone" to give the community several water points. There seemed to be very little understanding of the need for education and no overall community sense of ownership. What really brought this home to me was that about 500m away from where the meeting was held there was a broken water pump. Apparently this pump, which was in a very central position, was installed by a charity about 6 years ago.
Southern Water, but not as we know it - Thursday 16 Feb
Actually this isn't strictly true, we aren't visiting Southern Water (as in the English water company) but Southern Water and Sewerage Company (commonly known as SWASCO) which, as the name suggests, is the water and sewerage company in the Southern Province of Zambia. They are also one of WaterAid's partners.
One of the small water "plants" that SWASCO operate is close to the town of Batoka. Whilst the plant itself is very basic, the chlorine dosing system operates in a similar way to back home - although there are clearly very different rules and regulations in Zambia.
Over the next couple of hours we learnt how the local community receives it's water supply - either via a meter or not, how they have social tariffs to help those who can't pay and how most people who don't currently have a meter don't want one. A lady called Justina Hambiu explained that before SWASCO had installed the water supply she had to walk over 5km every day in order to get water for her family and that they were sometimes sick because of the water. Having piped water to her house and learning about the importance of sanitation has made such a difference to both her and her family.
Later that afternoon we travelled to the village of Silimi which is in the very early stages of receiving help from WaterAid and another of its partners - DAPP (Development aid for people to people). This village was a wonderful example of a community helping themselves - as soon as they became aware that they could be eligible for a water supply (a pump) they "went all out to get one". Setting up a number of local committees that would oversee its construction and ongoing operation and maintenance, provide all the villagers with all the education and information they needed so that the pump was used correctly. And of course making sure that each household build a new latrine - which is essential if the health problems the village used to suffer are eradicated.
Unfortunately not all the villagers had managed to complete their latrine and so - guess what - I spent the next few hours "helping" to put the finishing touches to a brand new, brick surrounded pit latrine - which was pretty deep! I dug, laid bricks, plastered, poured concrete and back filled - and then finally we had the finished article, almost! However a local frog had somehow managed to get into the pit and no-one would go in to be him out (I probably could have got down into the pit, taking a bit of earth with me, but there is no way I would have been able to get out). And so the lid went on with the frog intact.
Both the areas visited today had undoubtedly benefited from intervention by WaterAid and it's partners - with both the installation of physical things and an education programme about the benefits of clean water and sanitation. However I'm not sure the frog would agree though...
One of the small water "plants" that SWASCO operate is close to the town of Batoka. Whilst the plant itself is very basic, the chlorine dosing system operates in a similar way to back home - although there are clearly very different rules and regulations in Zambia.
Unfortunately not all the villagers had managed to complete their latrine and so - guess what - I spent the next few hours "helping" to put the finishing touches to a brand new, brick surrounded pit latrine - which was pretty deep! I dug, laid bricks, plastered, poured concrete and back filled - and then finally we had the finished article, almost! However a local frog had somehow managed to get into the pit and no-one would go in to be him out (I probably could have got down into the pit, taking a bit of earth with me, but there is no way I would have been able to get out). And so the lid went on with the frog intact.
Both the areas visited today had undoubtedly benefited from intervention by WaterAid and it's partners - with both the installation of physical things and an education programme about the benefits of clean water and sanitation. However I'm not sure the frog would agree though...
Saturday 18 February 2012
Chiyoobola School - Wednesday 15 Feb
A bit of a lie-in this morning - not leaving the hotel until 7:00 and then travelling down to ChIyoobola School which is in Chipembele Ward. The area is a real success story where, together with Monze District Council, the area achieved 100% toilet coverage back in 2008. I guess this probably seems a bit of a strange "achievement" to many people but for this area it's something to be very proud about. Our first stop, the school, where we learnt that the children had been waiting - patiently - for us for quite a while. They were all stood outside in a huge circle waiting to greet us. The Head Master thanked us for coming to his school and for all the help and support "we'd" given them and for "answering their prayers" - again it made you feel incredibly humble.
The school has its own latrine block - separate ones for boys, girls and staff - hand washing facilities outside them - and a borehole and hand pump about 500m away from which the children filled the hand washing and drinking facilities from every day. The borehole and hand pump was also used by the surrounding community. Over the next couple of hours we learnt about what life was like for the children in the school - what their hopes and dreams are - doctors, nurses, soldiers - no different to kids at home really.
Ruth Hachilima (13years old) and Mapenzi Munsaye (aged 14) showed me around one of the girls' latrine blocks and how they washed their hands at the hand wash stations outside the blocks. It seemed such a simple act and the girls were clearly very proud of their school and were keen to show it off to their visitors. It was difficult to think of something similar happening at home. The girls also explained how they told their families about the clean water and sanitation lessons they had at school - so hopefully more and more people learn about its importance. Unfortunately, sometimes the children sometimes end up drinking dirty water at home and get sick. However the school has a 98% attendance rate - so hopefully this is happening less and less. Exam pass rates for the girls has also increased recently.
After an "audience" with the local Chief for the area and a number of local councillors and tone dignitaries it was time to leave. But not before we'd taken part in a "goodbye and thanks" dance and left a few goodies from home for the school. So there are now several Welsh Water water bottles, pens and pencils in Chlyoobola School - oh and a couple of red dragons (small ones though..). Later that afternoon we visited nearby Mavwili Village which is a pretty remote village - albeit not quite as remote as Haboombe (yesterday's village).
Once again we were met with a fantastic reception of singing and dancing. The song was about giving thanks for the water they had (a hand pump had recently been installed) and that they were so grateful we were with them today - again incredibly humbling. As well as the water pump all the households in the village has their own latrine - which everyone said had really helped improve their quality of life.
We were also introduced to the concept of "water committees" - a group of formidable looking ladies (usually) who looked after the water pump, ensuring it was respected and well maintained by everyone. However everyone was in agreement that none of this fantastic work would have happened without the "WaterAid Lady" who spent a long time with them explaining the importance of drinking clean water (or rather the implications of drinking dirty water) and good hygiene. And suddenly the penny dropped and I began to see the importance of the "whole package" and why just providing pumps and latrines isn't the answer. The community needs to be supported by a full education programme about the importance of safe clean water and sanitation if our work is to be sustainable...
Ruth Hachilima (13years old) and Mapenzi Munsaye (aged 14) showed me around one of the girls' latrine blocks and how they washed their hands at the hand wash stations outside the blocks. It seemed such a simple act and the girls were clearly very proud of their school and were keen to show it off to their visitors. It was difficult to think of something similar happening at home. The girls also explained how they told their families about the clean water and sanitation lessons they had at school - so hopefully more and more people learn about its importance. Unfortunately, sometimes the children sometimes end up drinking dirty water at home and get sick. However the school has a 98% attendance rate - so hopefully this is happening less and less. Exam pass rates for the girls has also increased recently.
Once again we were met with a fantastic reception of singing and dancing. The song was about giving thanks for the water they had (a hand pump had recently been installed) and that they were so grateful we were with them today - again incredibly humbling. As well as the water pump all the households in the village has their own latrine - which everyone said had really helped improve their quality of life.
Friday 17 February 2012
A Day in the Life of... Tuesday 14 Feb
Today we're heading off to Haboombe village in the Moomba ward. It's a very remote village and will take us some 3 hours to get there, so it's a very early start - out the door at 4:30.... The main road out of Monze soon disappeared to what is pretty much a dirt track and then the dirt track disappeared.... But the 4x4s kept on rolling - up cliff sides (well hills really but they felt like cliffs at the time) and we even crossed a river (getting up the river bank at the other side was nothing short of a miracle) - people pay good money back for home for this kind of "off road" experience. But at least it wasn't snowing!
Never have I experienced such a warm welcome from a community as we had that morning from the people of Haboombe Village - the vice-head of the community welcomed us and "thanked God for our arrival and what we may bring". It was a very humbling moment for me, as what were we really bringing? Part of our welcome reception involved an amazing band - who played on home made instruments and had some of the most "in tune" voices I have ever heard (or maybe I was just captivated by the moment!).
Meeting the "family" we were spending the day with was a little scary - it was like being back in the playground, wondering who was going to pick you for their team. But we were picked, Peter (from Veolia Water) and I, and were introduced to the family we were going to to spend the day with - Ellios Haboombe (yes, the same name as the village) and his wives, Kanema (his first wife) and Nellie Munesaka his second. There was a little confusion about how many people lived in his household but it seemed to be in the region of 12. Ellios told us he was born is 1926. Over the next few hours we collected fire wood with them, attempted to grind maize into flour (not easy using a giant pestle and mortar) and prepared pumpkin leaves for lunch. And then the all imported collecting of water in 25 litre plastic containers.
However luck was on our side and we didn't have the 3 hour walk (1 way) that they did for over the half the year, as we were in the rainy season! All we had to do was walk about half a mile to the local river - down hill - phew. But then I realised that you had to carry the water back up the hill........Nellie was the main water gatherer for the household and would collect some 85 litres for them every day - so we had to help. But boy was it hard work - Nellie made it look so easy, collecting water from a little scoop hole by the river, pouring it into her container which, when it was full, she lifted on to her head - boldly walked across the river, climbed the river bank and then back to her home. All without spilling a drop - oh and she dropped her scarf but bet down and picked it up again, without spilling a drop! Needless to say I was not quite so smooth......
Talking to the family during the afternoon we learnt that their greatest wish was that "someone" would come along and create a bore hole and install hand pump for them which would give them access to safe, clean drinking water - something you can't argue with. Unfortunately no one had yet! Hopefully next year through the work of WaterAid and DAP (Development Aid for People to People) the village will get its wish. Unfortunately no definite decision has yet been made and so the village waits. The day with the Haboombe family came to an end all too quickly and it was time for us to leave. Nellie's parting words to me were "If money fell from heaven I'd use it for a hand pump - oh and a grinding machine for the maize flour". I left them thinking surely it can't take over a year to make this happen - there must be a quicker way....
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