©InfoIn Zimbabwe, a country with a population of 12.6 million (UNAIDS), many water systems have fallen into disrepair. Latrines are poorly maintained and 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.
In March 2010, the British Red Cross finished a project 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 promoted hygiene and general health issues.
The project was 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 constructed 1,200 latrines in households, schools and health centres and trained 44 volunteers in latrine construction. Latrines are important as it means faeces are not left in the open air and therefore helps reduce disease transmission by flies.
The majority of the latrines were constructed for people who are most vulnerable to sanitation-related diseases, including more than 2,000 people living with HIV and a further 2,500 orphans and vulnerable children in the Mount Darwin district.
In addition, 1,200 members of the community water committees were trained to manage the operation and maintenance of the pumps. This enabled selected trained people to establish small private businesses repairing water points.
Find out about our community healthcare work