Over 50% of the rural Zambian population, do not have access to safe water. Through this project, CO2balance, in partnership with Village Water, aimed to improve safe water access in rural Zambia. Therefore, our small-scale Western Zambia project issuing carbon-credits this July, for the First Time, indicates successful delivery of safe water across communities in our project area.
With the rehabilitation of 193 boreholes, across villages in Western Zambia; conducted by the local partner, we have delivered safe water to 27,971 people in this monitoring period. The project has improved health conditions of 23,395 people as compared to conditions prior to the implementation of the project, as well as savings to time utilised by women for water and firewood collection.
Borehole being repaired and rehabilitated in Kabili village
A community member using recently rehabilitated borehole in Kabili village
The Western Zambia project began in 2020, just prior to the Covid-19 pandemic hitting Zambia1. To reduce cross-contamination, a ‘tippy-tap’ system was utilised, as seen in images below. The ‘tippy-tap’system ensured that community members would sanitise their hands, prior to using the borehole for water collection. The container is suspended from a rope, at the bottom, community members use the wooden stick, with their foot to tip the container, to wash their hands.
An installed ‘tippy-tap’ system in Ikaluti village.
A community-member using the ‘tippy-tap’ system in Chiteula village
Alongside, the rehabilitations, our in-country partner delivers WASH training, creating awareness on health, sanitation and hygiene. Community engagement is also encouraged within villages, to conduct minor repairs to the boreholes. Through this community engagement, the long-term project sustainability is ensured due to the investment of time in maintaining the boreholes, amongst the community-members.
WASH Training conducted in Chinjenge
In 2022, once Covid regulations allowed, CO2balance Project Managers, conducted a site visit in Zambia across our project areas, in the country. Site visits allow our team to speak to communities, directly observe project activities such as usage of the boreholes and interact with the day-to day activities undertaken by our field partners.
A meeting held in Western Zambia province during the site visit
The project continues to grow across Western Zambia and increases its impacts with our next period of annual monitoring that began in June 2023.
A rehabilitated borehole in Chiteula village
REFERENCES:
- https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus/country/zambia