Total Water Project

Gwembe has an estimated population of 34,133 people.It lies in a low rainfall area and is partly covered in mountains.It receives annual rainfall less than 600mm and experiences high mean annual temperatures.The District Administration is responsible for all government functions.The area's depleted soils and reduced vegetation on the hillsides results in higher volumes of run off water and reduced soil moisture content and soil fertility. This has resulted in low crop yields and increased difficulties in accessing water for drinking and irrigation.The changing value of land particlarly access to water resources and livelihood options for many in addition to cultural norms results in different kinds of vulnerability especially for women, children and the elderly.Changing relationship of Gwembe communities to the enviroment,global process of climate change and socio economic processes all contribute to the increasing hardship of daily life of gwembe households.

Goals overview

Improve the livelihood of 3000 households reaching 18000 people in 100 villages of Gwembe with access to safe drinking water and sanitation, increased agriculutural production and income through the promotion of water efficient farming techniques such as,low cost irrigation, establishment of contours,building of vier dams and recharge systems.

Current status

The targeted communities include 15 government schools and the surrounding villages in Gwembe District.The operation area has been selected in coperation with the local authorities and include vllages in the most vulnerable dry places of Gwembe such as the mountains as well as the area next to the Kariba Dam covering 18,000 families.The project has a well established structure with village action groups, organised community WASHE committees and other community structure including area leaders who work as community mobilisers in the same villages trained by the project. DAPP has in the target area established a number of water points and latrines in partnership with Connect.

Project plan

DAPP Child Aid and Environment project in Gwembe started in 2003 ,it is an inventive, comprehensive and cost effective project with an intensive experience in working with communities in rural areas.It concentrate so much on activities that strengthen the capacity and ability of the families and individuals to improve their own lives in order to secure a sound and health family.It is an intergrated community development programme involving all the indigenous local people in the community who wish to work for their individual development and community at large.

Expected outcomes

• 25 wells with rope pumps
• 100 latrines
• 2 vier dams
• 100 recharge systems
• 100 hectres of contours

Capacity built in each of the vilage action groups,CWASHEs and the village technicians will provide for periodic and routine maintanance of the wells, rope pumps and vier dams.

The project will closely work with government departments the local leadership so as to allow for continued government involvementt in the project.

The trainings and education to the village action group and area leaders will emphasise on community ownership of the projects implemented. These will in turn sensitize the community on the importance of maintaining these infrastructures. The community will partcipate more in the protection and maintenance of these due to improved livelihoods and knowledge.

The technology that will be used will be based on local materials that can easily be accessed and the technonology itself for the rope pumps is basic and easily understood by technicians.