Water and sanitation in Zimbabwe
| In Zimbabwe, a country with a population of 13.3 million, many water systems have fallen into disrepair. Latrines are poorly maintained and awareness of the importance of personal hygiene practices, such as hand washing, is limited. Water and sanitation-related illnesses are perhaps unsurprisingly among the leading causes of death in the country. Among the most vulnerable groups are the poor and people living with HIV and their families.
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| The British Red Cross is working with the Zimbabwe Red Cross and Finnish Red Cross to provide 100,000 of the poorest and most vulnerable people living in rural areas of Mount Darwin, Mashonaland Central with improved access to water and sanitation. We also promote hygiene and general health issues. | | |  | |
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The project is part of a global water and sanitation initiative, launched by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to help meet the UN Millennium Development Goals.
Latrine construction
As part of the project the Zimbabwe Red Cross will construct 1,200 latrines in households, schools and health centres and train 44 volunteers in latrine construction. Latrines reduce disease transmission by flies.
The majority of the latrines are being constructed for people who are most vulnerable to sanitation-related diseases, including more than 2,000 people who are living with HIV and a further 2,500 orphans and young children in the Mount Darwin district.
In addition, 1,200 members of the community water committees will be trained to manage the operation and maintenance of the pumps. This will enable selected trained beneficiaries to establish themselves as small private businesses repairing water points.
More about water and sanitation in Zimbabwe | |
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