The
climate is tropical throughout, more humid along
the coast and dryer inland
Typical
Water Source
Water
wells, stagnant water
Partners
International
Relief and Development (IRD)
Duration
of project phase
February
2008 to January 2009
Main
objectives
To
introduce the SODIS methodology in 2 communities
of Massinga district to reduce water born disease
incidence.
To demonstrate to local health authorities the
effectiveness of the SODIS methodology and to
partner with one health center at the target
communities for the promotion of the method.
To
demonstrate to target communities and to district
and provincial government the effectiveness
of the SODIS methodology enabling the replication
of the method in other communities of Mozambique.
Number
of beneficiary
1000
families
Status
quo at the present
In
the starting phase
Project
Zone
Inhambane
province, located along the coast in the southern part
of the country, is highly susceptible to droughts and
water shortages. It has an area of 68,615 km² and
a population of approximately 1.3 million. Massinga
district is the most populated district of Inhambane
province with 200,000 inhabitants. The coastal part
of Massinga district has access to surface water, while
the interior of the district of Massinga has very limited
access to surface water and the water horizon is located
at large depths, often beyond 80m. That makes the installation
of Afridev pumps and boreholes that are recommended
by the Ministry of Public Works and Habitat problematic
and this is reflected in the large number of non-functioning
water wells. As a result of limited access to surface
water in the interior of Massinga district, the population
usually relies on temporary stagnant water.
IRD began the HARVEST program in 2005. Program activities
apply water harvesting techniques in the construction
of large reservoir water catchments that collect surface
runoff water as well as school roof-top water harvesting
systems. Both activities have an intense hygiene promotion
component with trained Hygiene Activists. In the interior
of Massinga district, IRD has established eight large
water catchments covering 3,000 to 6,000 people each
and 12 60m3 school rooftop harvesting systems covering
approximately 500 school children each. Water activities
at schools are well positioned to be linked to hygiene
promotion.
Implementation
Strategy
Training
IRD hygiene trainer will initially meet with health
authorities in the district in order to present the
method, provide background information on the method’s
scientific base and will design together with the local
health authorities a training schedule for the target
communities. An initial training of trainers will take
place at the local health center of Nhachengue where
the health center’s staff will become familiarized
with the method and ways of disseminating it to their
patients.
Participatory methods will be used throughout the training
aiming to customize the application of the SODIS methodology
in the conditions of Massinga district.
Promotion: Local and district
IRD will use a variety of methods at the local level
to disseminate information on SODIS including, school
SODIS demonstrations, lessons during group or community
gatherings at the schools, pamphlets and posters. IRD
will use influential leaders to demonstrate the effectiveness
of the methodology. At a district level, DDS will play
an important role in the dissemination of the SODIS
method. IRD will share information obtained by mid-term
and final water samples and surveys aiming to demonstrate
the effectiveness of the SODIS methodology. A start-up
meeting will take place with the Administration of Massinga
district and DDS aiming to raise awareness about the
program.
Promotion: National
The ministry of Health will be a key partner for scaling
up the implementation of the method. IRD will network
with the hygiene training sector within the Ministry
at a central level in order to provide information about
project results throughout the course of project’s
implementation.
In
addition, IRD is an active member of the GAS (Water
and Sanitation Group) where all major donors, ministries
and NGOs involved in the water sector meet on a monthly
basis. Throughout these monthly meetings IRD informs
government, partners and donors about its WASH activities,
and receives information about other initiatives and
trends in the country. IRD will present the final results
of the SODIS program in the GAS meetings.
IRD
is also an active member of the WASH cluster that was
activated during the 2007 Flood Emergency. The WASH
cluster started meeting on a weekly basis in Feb 2007
and is still active through bi-weekly meetings which
are beginning to turn into a forum for the exchange
of views in the area of rural water. IRD will present
the SODIS program in the cluster, discuss challenges,
and provide updates.
Expected
results/Achievements
To
introduce the SODIS methodology in 2 communities of
Massinga district to reduce water born disease incidence.
To demonstrate to local health authorities the effectiveness
of the SODIS methodology and to partner with one health
center at the target communities for the promotion
of the method.
To
demonstrate to target communities and to district
and provincial government the effectiveness of the
SODIS methodology enabling the replication of the
method in other communities of Mozambique.
