CAFOD has been awarded a grant of £100,000 by the Isle of Man Government to deliver clean water and sanitation facilities to communities in the Chimanimani district of Zimbabwe.
Tubhanju Primary School, which is attended by more than 620 children, is to receive a solar-powered water conveyance system. This will provide a reliable supply of clean water for pupils and teachers, as well as the 200 households in three surrounding villages. Currently, pupils and residents walk over 2km to fetch water.
Nyamusundu Primary School will benefit from the installation of a gravity-based water conveyance system. Many of the 520 pupils from this school currently walk 4km to collect water, which is unsafe for drinking. This system will also incorporate a small hydro-electric generator to power the school’s lighting and computers.
In addition, this project will see the construction of toilets and hand-washing facilities and the introduction of health and nutrition clubs at each school to encourage good sanitation and hygiene practices.
Verity Johnson, CAFOD country representative in Zimbabwe, said:
'The generous grant from the Isle of Man will enable sanitation programmes to help fight preventable diseases such as cholera, and improve the health, the environment and the dignity of young people in Zimbabwe.'
She added:
'Children and young people are at the heart of this programme as it is these young people who will make the change we want to see in the future. For example, they will be involved in setting up hygiene laboratories to identify issues in their communities and come up with their own solutions to tackle these issues.'
Chief Minister Howard Quayle MHK commented:
'This funding will deliver a brighter future for children living in one of the world’s poorest areas. Through the provision of clean water and sanitation, quality education and renewable energy, the project supports a number of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, which are a cornerstone of our international development policy.'
The project will run for two years and has a total budget of £112,000, with £12,000 coming from CAFOD’s fundraising in the UK and the Isle of Man.
