My SWEPS

The sanitation and permaculture project is based on schools in the rural areas of the Ehlanzeni District Municipality bordering Mozambique and Swaziland. Living conditions in the area are very poor, majority of people live below breadline and depend on government grants such as pensions, HIV and child support grants as the source of income.
Coverage of water and sanitation is very low. Water supply for schools is poor due to low pressure and interruptions. Therefore flush toilets are not in use and maintenance of pit latrines is poor. Resulting in poor hygiene and pollution of the environment.
As a result children are often ill and unable to attent school.

Current status

The project is part of the ongoing SA-NL cooperation of local government and schools. The first phase (Sincobile school) is finished. The second phase focusses on 10 schools. This project is meant as a kick start for 1 of the 10 schools. Support is given by several Dutch and South African organisations. The project is also meant as a kick start for cooperation in the 10 schools project with Zwolle schools: Windesheim (minor ISD), Groene Welle (agriculture) and Deltion (IT).
The broader program was made possible through the Logo South cooperation program and funding of the Dutch Embassy in Pretoria.
For the 10 schools project Inkomati CMA has signed an MoU with the
Department of Education, which will be the basis for future funding from SA.
A longer term goal is to start a franchise business development in water and sanitation with the example of the 10-schools project. A proposal for funding of a feasibility study has been submitted to PfW.

The project promotes and demonstrates on schools new water + sanitation techniques based on reuse, with direct added value through reuse in an own Perma Culture Garden. Grey water from the taps for gardening or greening of the area. Pit latrines converted in dry UD toilets with reuse of urine (soil fertiliser) and faeces (for planting trees) in the PC garden. Flush toilets and septics are converted in poor flush toilets and biogas reactor with algae reactor. Soil erosion is prevented through rainwater harvesting of the roofs and infiltration of run off in the soil. Simple techniques and local available materials are used. Implementation is done by local labour of the school community. Per school 10 persons are educated for the PC garden. Another 10 persons of the school community are educated in the water and sanitation techniques. The biogas and the vegetables and fruits from the PC garden are used in the school feeding program.

Schools are taking ownership and Department of Education wants to include the activities in the curriculums for life skills development and business development. Three Zwolle schools are going to be involved for a long term cooperation with the South African schools.

Outcomes:
At one of the schools:
A clean and green school environment
Clean toilets with no smell
A biogas installation for cooking of the school feeding program
Better dieet with vegetables and fruits from the PC garden
Erosion control and use of rain water
Learners, teachers and school community involved the project
Promotion of hygiene and reuse of water and nutrients
Life skills development and job creation

The project should be a starting point for the 10 schools project.
Goals of the overall project are:
1. to improve the health situation of school learners in South Africa
2. to ensure a sustainable environment by reusing water, nutrients and energy with a Perma Culture garden
3. to secure the sustainability of skills transfer by implementing the project on schoos and in the school curriculium
4. to start small business in water and sanitation

Goals

• 2 grey water tap reuse for gardening or greening of the area
• 4 pit latrines converted in dry UD toilets without smell
• 12 flush toilets repaired, connect to 1 biogas+algae reactor
• 1 PC Garden: 10 persons educated, vegetables and fruit trees

Local available materials and techniques are being used. Implementation is done by the local school community, schools and local community take ownership. The project is part of a broader program with an MoU between ICMA and DoE. 10 persons of the school community are educated in PC gardening techniques. The school appoints a teacher who is responsible for the PC garden and a teacher who is responsible for the sanitation solutions. Daily cleaning and maintenance is done by a local person employed by the school.