Background

In Zambia, an estimated 4.8 million men, women and children lack regular access to clean water, which is a major factor in Zambia’s high rate of childhood malnutrition. 

The organisation Plan International is running a project in the rural countryside in order to respond to the current economic challenges faced by young people, particularly young women and girls. In this area, land is of poor quality and constrained by environmental factors such as inadequate rainfall and very high temperatures. Households have limited access to safe drinking water. Culturally, young Zambian women have the responsibility of ensuring adequate access to nutrition and water for the household and often women spend long hours gathering water for the family. 

The lack of available safe water is among the leading causes of diarrhoeal diseases, contributing to the high malnutrition and mortality rates in children below 5 years. These waterborne and hygiene-related diseases are sometimes the cause for children missing school and for men and women’s reduced productivity which affects household income and nutrition. Having access to safe drinking water would play a significant role in reducing women and girls’ time spent collecting wood and water, nursing sick children and family members, and increase the time dedicated to education and work. 

One Solvatten is estimated to provide a family with clean, hot water for 7-10 years and can thus have a life-determining significance for children under 5 years of age in particular. Solvatten frees up time for people, especially young women, to spend on studies as well as enabling families to devote more time to income-generating activities.

The project’s purpose and target group

The project is implemented by Plan International Zambia and Canada in collaboration with Solvatten Charitable Foundation Sweden. The project will support youth and their families’ access to safe water by distributing 632 Solvatten units to households and 160 Solvatten units to institutions (schools, health centres, local councils, and WASH committees) in 8 communities in the districts of Chisamba and Chibombo in Central province. 

Project layout

The project runs between August 2022 – December 2023 with the possibility of an extension. The first shipment containing 792 Solvatten units is estimated to reach Zambia during autumn 2022. 

Join in and contribute to the project!

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