Reducing the Effects of COVID-19 through Emergency WASH Response in Binga District

The project targets 43,890 individuals in fourteen wards of Binga District in the Matabeleland North Province of Zimbabwe. The project goal is to provide access to safe drinking water, improve hygiene practices, and enhance Infection Prevention and Control at health facilities. The project will undertake several interventions, including the rehabilitation of 26 water points, training of Environmental Health Technicians, Water Point Committees, and Community Based Facilitators on Participatory Health and Hygiene Education, Community Based Management, and Risk-Informed WASH. Additionally, the project will supply Infection Prevention and Control equipment to 17 Health Facilities. A baseline assessment was conducted in the fourteen wards of project implementation from September 29 to October 8. The assessment aimed to benchmark key project indicators and understand key WASH issues prevailing in the target areas. The assessment found that most households (53.8%) accessed drinking water from unprotected water sources, with 174 households (56.7%) using surface water, 122 households (39.7%) using unprotected wells, and 11 households (3.6%) using unprotected springs. The assessment also found that 36.8% of households stored their drinking water in clean and closed containers, and 14% of respondents knew at least three critical handwashing times. However, most households (90%) practiced open defecation. The assessment used a population-based household survey, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews to collect data. The assessment found that most respondents were females (74.6%), and 67% of households were male-headed. The average age of household heads was 47 years, and the average total household occupancy was 6 people. The assessment also found that most households relied on unprotected water sources for drinking water, with 63.5% of water points being community-owned. The assessment found that households collected an average of 90 liters of water per day from the primary water sources, with some households collecting as little as 10 liters per day. Most respondents (58.5%) stated that they accessed enough water from their primary source to meet the household's daily needs. However, households with challenges in accessing water sources reported issues such as too many households sharing a water point, water point seasonality, monthly breakdowns, and weekly breakdowns. The assessment found that 40% of households traveled more than one kilometer to the primary water source, which is more than the recommended SPHERE minimum standard of 100 meters. FGD participants in Saba and Sikalenge wards said that most households spent long periods waiting to fetch water, with some spending the nights at the water point. The assessment found that the majority of FGD respondents revealed that their water points had a low water yielding capacity, which sometimes led to prolonged waiting times. The project will use the findings from the baseline assessment to inform decisions on resource allocation and prioritization of activities. The project will focus on improving access to safe drinking water, enhancing hygiene practices, and enhancing Infection Prevention and Control at health facilities. The project will also work to address the challenges identified in the assessment, including the reliance on unprotected water sources and the long waiting times for water.