Introduction

Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon (Central Africa), has a moist tropical climate with abundant rainfall (1500-2000 mm annually). According to Sogreah (1993), more than 70% of Yaoundé’s settlements are slum areas. The population is estimated at 1.5 million inhabitants (DSCN, 2001). Only 34% of the households have individual tap connections and the remaining 47% use communal water points.
Yaoundé’s water is supplied by a parapublic company (CAMWATER). The current water volume supplied by this company is extremely low due to the significant losses through the network (35%) and low municipal coverage (less than 50%). As the water supply is unreliable and water shortages frequent, many people resort to unsafe drinking water sources such as wells, springs and rivers (Nola et al., 1998; 1999; Tanawa et al., 2001). A large amount of water originates from wells and springs. Analyses have revealed that more than 87% of the water from these sources contain a higher concentration of faecal coliforms than that recommended by WHO (Dumoutier, 2003). According to Ebonji Seth (2003), about 70% of the patients in Yaoundé’s hospitals suffer from waterborne diseases (cholera, typhoid, amoebiasis etc.).
Despite the creation of a Water and Sanitation Department at the Public Health Ministry dealing with access to clean drinking water for the populations and awareness raising campaigns through mass media on waterborne diseases and disinfection techniques (chlorination and boiling essentially), use of the promoted methods is limited as they are time-consuming and the cost of firewood required unaffordable for many inhabitants. Introduction of a simple low-cost method for drinking water treatment at household level is therefore important. Though SODIS meets these criteria, the method remains unknown.
SODIS uses solar energy to destroy pathogenic microorganisms causing waterborne diseases. Water to be treated is filled in PET bottles and exposed to sunlight for at least six hours. Such PET bottles are luckily available in Cameroon, as they are used by some breweries. Empty PET bottles are collected and resold on the market.
AQUACARE and its three partners organisations (Tam-Tam Mobile, Sarkan Zoumountsi and the Groupe PESSAF) are planning to implement Solar Water Disinfection (SODIS) through a project in slums areas of Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Purpose

The purpose of this project is to improve the access of poor populations of Yaoundé to safe drinking water by using the method of Solar Water Disinfection (SODIS) in their daily practices.

Objectives

The objectives of the project are :
a) to vulgarise of the SODIS water disinfection method in some slums area of Yaoundé;
b) to monitor the incidence of diarrhoea among the children under 5 years old of the target populations and compare the reduction between SODIS users and non-user children

Project Zone

The target communities selected and monitored during this project comprise the populations of Briqueterie, Melen, Ntaba Nlongkak, and Carriere – four neighbourhoods of Yaoundé totalling 2,100 households with at least one child under the age of five (05). Sarkan Zoumountsi is already working on a door-to-door sanitation project to collect household waste in Briqueterie; Tam-Tam Mobile is engaged in waste collection at Melen and Groupe PESSAF focuses its activities on water supply in Ntaba Nlonkak.

Implementation Strategy

The implementation strategy includes intensive mobilization of the community through formal channels (local leaders, women and youth associations), mass media communication, appropriately formed SODIS trainers, SODIS promoters and SODIS users. SODIS promoters will conduct intensive door-to-door campaigns to reach more people within a shorter time. Hygiene education and promotion will be taught to the community to enhance project outcome aiming at improving the health status of the population and use of the SODIS method on a daily basis.
The following training methods will be applied: lectures, working in groups, role playing, video and story tapes, technical staff, supervisors (SODIS trainers), SODIS promoters (from the community) will be trained during a 1-week participatory workshop and seminar followed by three further training sessions (two days each) during a series of sessions over the following three weeks. During initial training in the community, the promoters will be accompanied by a SODIS trainer.
SODIS promoters will establish contact with the community via:
- religious and local leaders (local chief, head of blocs),
- meetings with different groups or associations (women, youth etc.),
- general community gatherings (use of posters, story tapes, sketches, video if necessary) and demonstration of the SODIS method, distribution of PET bottles (four per household). Up to 25 people per group will be formed,
- household visits as follow-up (once a week after training over a period of four weeks).

Project Partner Organisation

- Sarkan Zoumountsi is a non-profit organisation founded in September 1994 and focusing on hygiene and sanitation (precollection of domestic waste, reuse of solid waste, ditch clearing, recalibration of gutters and rivers). It works closely with the populations and has good relations with local religious leaders (Christian and Moslem). By applying a participatory approach, this organisation combats floods in the slum area (Briqueterie) and educates the population in general hygiene. Sarkan Zoumountsi is involved in the activities of Yaoundé’s Urban Council.
- Tam-Tam Mobile is a non-profit organisation founded in 1997 and officially recognised in 2000. This organisation deals with hygiene and sanitation (precollection of domestic waste, reuse of solid waste, proximity communication and environmental education). Its main partner is the local population (represented in its structures by the heads of districts, blocks and the leaders of youth and women associations). Furthermore, Tam-Tam Mobile has worked with Yaoundé’s Urban Council, Yaoundé VI District Council, Biyem - Assi District of Health, Polytechnic University (University of Yaoundé I), the National Committee to combat malaria via CAS of NKOL – NDONGO, the J.E. V.A.I.S Project and the Ministry for Youth. It also hosted national and international research students.
- Groupe PESSAF (Groupe de Promotion d’Eau Potable et Soins de Santé sans Frontières) is a non-profit organisation created in 1996. This organisation centres its activities on water supply and sanitation in slums areas of Yaoundé. It has close links to the National Red Cross and to the National Programme for Participative Development implemented by the Ministry of Planning, Development, Programming and Regional Development.

Expected results/Achievements

•• Drinking water quality improvement (SODIS is a simple, inexpensive and attractive household method to improve the microbiological quality of drinking water).
• Population health status improvement by reducing waterborne diseases (access to untreated raw water leads to high risks of water-borne diseases: diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, amoebiasis etc. Consumption of SODIS-treated water consequently improves the health status as already shown in other studies).
• Regular practice of personal hygiene (prior to becoming acquainted with water treatment methods, it is important to acquire a basic knowledge of the various transmissions routes of pathogen-causing waterborne diseases, to become aware of the importance of treating water prior to consumption and to interrupt disease transmission routes. This knowledge will be transmitted to the target populations during SODIS training and implementation. We hope that correct use of the SODIS method will be accompanied by regular practice of personal hygiene).
• Acceptability of the SODIS method (after being informed of its numerous advantages, the target populations will use SODIS as a drinking water treatment method and integrate it into their daily activities).

Lessons learnt

will be here as soon as they have been made