An estimated 1.2 billion people, roughly one out of every six are exposed to water-related illness from their drinking water. Inadequate access to clean drinking water is extremely prevalent and compromises lives in many ways.  For example, women and children spend hours a day to collect water to meet their basic needs; time that could be spent for educational and other activities that would help elevate them out of poverty. 

The European Union has donated 3.7m Euro (approx US$4.7million) to a UNICEF project that will reach 500,000 Zimbabweans with improved sanitation, hygiene and water facilities. The project focuses on those infected and affected by HIV and AIDS.

The EU’s contribution comes at a critical time when many Zimbabwean families and communities are struggling with reduced access to basic services, the aftermath of almost four years of drought, continued economic downturn, and the AIDS pandemic. It is the single largest donation toward UNICEF’s water and sanitation activities in Zimbabwe.

“As recent cholera outbreaks in Zimbabwe remind us, water and sanitation is among the most important determinants of public health,” said UNICEF’s Representative in Zimbabwe, Dr Festo Kavishe. “When people achieve reliable access to safe drinking-water and adequate sanitation they have won a major battle against a wide range of diseases.”

The European Union funds are for five years, targeting six districts of Zimbabwe. The project supports hygiene promotion, the construction of latrines in households and schools, nutrition gardens, and the drilling of critical new bore holes.

“The European Union is committed to assisting the work being done by Zimbabwe’s rural communities, as they grapple with water, sanitation and hygienic challenges brought by the AIDS epidemic,” said the European Commission’s Head of Delegation, Ambassador Xavier Marchal. “These funds will reach half a million Zimbabweans and are just part of our wider poverty-alleviation programmes across the country.” The funds are implemented in line with current EU policy towards Zimbabwe and originate from the Water Facility established by the European Commission.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that trends towards urbanization marginalize rural communities. The project will, therefore, pay particular attention to the water and sanitation needs of rural Zimbabwe through:

1. The construction of more than 6700 household latrines and 540 school latrines (from which in return, schools offer free places to Orphans and other Vulnerable Children);

2. The promotion of nutrition gardens and livestock rearing through new water sources, thus ensuring nutritious foods for HIV-positive people, and income generation for tens of thousands;

3. The drilling of 24 new boreholes and the repair and rehabilitation of 350 broken down water points, and the protection of 300 shallow wells; and

4. Hygiene promotion to directly benefit 250,000 people.

The European Union funds are in addition to more than 1.5mEuro it recently invested in integrating water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion to Home Based Care projects for 100,000 people.

UNICEF is currently working with the Zimbabwean Government in the development of a consolidated national rural domestic water supply and sanitation policy. Through the Water and Environmental Sanitation Working Group, UNICEF is coordinating water and sanitation humanitarian interventions targeted at vulnerable populations in the country.

“Our efforts are driven by a desire to support households and communities, in particular orphans and other vulnerable children who have been most affected by the HIV and AIDS epidemic,” said UNICEF’s Kavishe. “We are extremely grateful to the European Union for their continued commitment to assist these most vulnerable of populations.”

Contact:
James Elder, Communication Officer, UNICEF Zimbabwe

Tel +263 91 276120
jelder@unicef.org

August 23, 2007

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

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