$180m needed to keep Zambia’s taps flowing

-

Zambia requires about 180 million dollars every year to provide sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services, highlighting the scale of the challenge in the country.

Speaking at a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing with the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, WaterAid Country Director Yankho Mataya said achieving universal WASH access involves significant capital investment as well as operational and maintenance costs.

Ms. Mataya has revealed that 32 percent of households lack basic water access, 64 percent lack basic sanitation, 82 percent lack basic hygiene, and 13 percent of health care facilities have no water service.

Many facilities also face gaps in hand hygiene, waste management, and environmental cleaning, affecting infection control and maternal health outcomes.

“The signing of this MoU reflects our shared commitment to advancing national and global development goals in Zambia,” Ms. Mataya said. “Our role is clear: to support efforts to achieve universal access to sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene across the country.”

WaterAid will invest in capacity building, targeted training, and institutional support to build a resilient workforce within the ministries. From monitoring and evaluation to data collection tools, the organization aims to equip teams with the skills and resources needed to drive sustainable change.

Permanent Secretary for Water Development Romas Kamanga said the partnership will be data-driven and evidence-based, with annual WASH statistical bulletins, regular performance reviews, and strengthened monitoring frameworks to improve service delivery.

Local Government Permanent Secretary for Technical Services, Funizani Phiri, added that the collaboration will strengthen local governance and ensure rural communities are not left behind.

Ends…………………

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Beltz pledges impactful leadership as ZedPro Global Patron

-
Image
Global Patron  for ZedPro Sports Foundation , an organisation dedicated to youth development through sports, financial literacy, and personal growth   Nkandu Beltz   has  expressed deep appreciation for the appointment and pledged to make a lasting contribution. “I’m completely stoked to be appointed ambassador for such an important cause,” said Beltz. “I have pledged to do my best to create a meaningful impact and build on the shoulders of giants,” she said. Ms. Beltz said  the Foundation’s focus on empowering young people through sport, which she described as a powerful tool for personal transformation. “We work mainly with young people through sport, which encourages self-discipline   and a self-disciplined person can achieve anything in life,” she said. “But it’s not just about the physical side. We are also teaching financial literacy and engaging in personal development initiatives for these young people.” She added that one of her top priorities as g...
Read more

CSPR and UNICEF launch Toolkit to amplify adolescent voices

-
Image
The Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR), with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has launched the School and Junior Councils Advocates Toolkit , a practical guide designed to equip adolescents with the skills they need to organize and effectively manage student and junior councils across Zambia. The toolkit is much more than just a manua l  it offers young people a platform to raise their voices, participate meaningfully in school governance, and play an active role in community development. Set to be rolled out nationwide, this initiative supports Zambia’s broader efforts to boost youth participation in governance and local development. Developed through extensive research in Lusaka, Katete, and Kafue districts, the toolkit benefited from the insights of teachers, District Education Boards (DEBs), student and junior councils, CSPR staff, and UNICEF. Lead consultant Dr. Aaron Chansa has described the launch as a landmark moment in promoting youth leade...
Read more

Syngenta champions sustainable Farming through Pesticide container Recycling

-
Image
Syngenta East and Southern Africa Managing Director, Given Mudenda, has reaffirmed the company's commitment to environmental stewardship through a groundbreaking pesticide container recycling initiative. Mr. Mudenda who also serves as Chairperson of CropLife Zambia and sits on various regional boards of CropLife Africa   said Syngenta began the project years before Zambia introduced legislation on pesticide container management. “We didn’t wait for the law. We started this out of a sense of responsibility and sustainability,” he said. “T he initiative began with collecting empty pesticide containers from seed companies and has since grown into a national program. In partnership with CropLife and other major agrochemical firms like Bayer and BASF, Syngenta has helped establish drop-off centers where farmers can return used containers ,” Mr. Mudenda said.   He said t hese are cleaned and recycled into useful products including plastic pools for tomato growers, reducing the need ...
Read more