Water and Health

In Mozambique's poorest province, Sofala, more than 50% of the population lives without access to drinking water and more than two-thirds have no access to sanitation. Girls and women have to walk long distances to access water, leaving them no time for education or work. Furthermore, the risk of sexual assault place an enormous psychological burden on them. Infections with diseases that could be prevented by simple hygiene practices are not uncommon, but the know-how for such measures is often lacking.

Our objective is to provide the residents in Sofala with access to clean water and to work with them on developping measures for hygiene practices:

• Creating sustainable access to clean water
• Improvement of local hygiene practices
• Expansion and rehabilitation of sanitary facilities at schools in Panja (Chibabava, Sofala)
• Building knowledge and raising awareness through hygiene workshops

• Construction and repair of water supply systems

The construction of solar powered well systems and the rehabilitation of existing systems in communities, as well as in local health facilities, will facilitate access to safe drinking water for the people of the communities.

• Construction and rehabilitation of hand washing facilities
  

Construction and rehabilitation of household-level latrines and construction of public hand-washing facilities will improve hygiene conditions for families.

• Establishment and training of water hygiene committees
  

The new water hygiene committees are intended to increase the hygiene awareness of the population through sensitization.

• Rehabilitation and extension of sanitary facilities in the school of Panja

The rehabilitation of the sanitary facilities in the school of Panja and the construction of gender-separated and handicapped accessible cubicles will not only ensure privacy and universal use, but also lay the foundation for good hygiene practices for the children.

• Hygiene workshops at the school of Panja

By strengthening and expanding the children's knowledge, they are taught improved hygiene practices made possible by sanitation renovations.

• Involvement of the local population in all measures
• Raising awareness through community members
• Formation of a network
• Long-term inclusion of the workshops in the school curriculum
• Ensuring the functions of trusted persons at the school