Govt. hails SNV support towards universal access to water and sanitation
GOVERNMENT has hailed SNV organisation for the continued support towards achieving universal access to water supply and sanitation in Zambia.
Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation (MWDS) Assistant Director for Sanitation, Ulanda Nyirenda, says the support towards infrastructure and software components to help in achieving access to water can not go unnoticed.
Engineer Nyirenda was speaking in a speech read for him by MWDS Principal Engineer – Sanitation, Litia Minyoi, during the SNV Chambeshi-Lukanga Sanitation Project special event on Gender and Social Inclusion (GESI), held at Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka.
Eng Nyirenda added that the Government has a vision to achieve universal access to water and sanitation by 2030.
“Government’s vision is to achieve universal access to adequate and sustainable sanitation and hygiene services and eliminate open defecation by 2023,” he said.
He added that Government , in conjunction with SNV, has been implementing the Chambeshi-Lukanga Water and Sanitation Project for the past five years.
He further noted that the provision of adequate sanitation is one of the priority interventions of Government.
Eng Nyirenda added that progress in increasing access to water has been made but there is need for more investment in sanitation to meet targets and prevent communicable diseases. “The project has been implemented with Sanitation companies as well as the respective local authorities of Kabwe, Kasama, Mbala, Nakonde and Mpulungu,” Eng Nyirenda said.
He highlighted that some of the support received from the organisation includes technical and financial support to Chambeshi and Lukanga and other Sanitation companies.
“For Government to reach its goal of access to water by 2030, there is need for concerted efforts,” he said.
SNV Zambia Country Director, Lucy Silas, says the organisation has been working with Government, private sector and civil society to seek sustainable Innovations in the key sectors of Agrifood, energy and water.
Ms Silas added that the organisation ensures that robust and impactful projects that bring change in the community are implemented.
She further said that SNV is committed to accelerate access to equitable WASH services for all especially on the most vulnerable members of society.
“We have long been committed to Gender and Social Inclusion (GESI) within the WASH sector, recognising the unique burden that poor WASH services place on women, girls and marginalised groups,” she said.
Meanwhile, Nakonde Movement for Promoting Women Affairs and Conflict Resolution Coordinator, Mildred Sakala, indicated that the project has helped women voices on sanitation issues to be heard through networking.
Ms Sakala said that the organisation has been able to talk to authorities in the area to help improve Sanitation facilities in schools as well as in the community.
She added that the project has helped improve access to water and sanitation in schools adding that this has helped girls not to shun school.
“Before the implementation of this project, most girls used to shun school especially during their menstrual periods, schools had no running water and this made it difficult for them to stay in school, but now most schools have running water,” Ms Sakala said.
Ms Sakala further said the community and traditional leaders have also been reached through key messages on sanitation.
The SNV programme which has been implemented in Zambia for the past five years is called Chambeshi and Lukanga Sanitation Project whose key focus is Gender and Social Inclusion in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).