WORLD WATER DAY - MARCH 28, 2008

This year’s theme for the World Day2008 is ‘Sanitation.’

The United Nations has also designated 2008 as an International Year of Sanitation, signalling its concern with the slow and insufficient progress made in achieving the globe sanitation target and recognizing that progress can only be made through active commitment and action by all stakeholders.

Last year’s theme was ‘’Water is Life’’

The sub- theme for Malawi on the World Day of ‘Water, a significant catalyst for sanitation’, highlights the central role water play in the delivery of safe hygiene and improved sanitation services and the need for cooperation amongst stakeholders to ensure that general principles on water resources management are followed in an integrated manner.The World water Day commemoration here in Malawi,was officiated in Salima District.

Low access to safe water, particularly in rural and some urban areas, is a general cause of concern that has contributed to the inadequate coverage of improved sanitation and adoption of safe hygienic practices. For any significant reduction in water and sanitation related diseases, it is essential that all water users practice safe hygiene, handling of drinking water from any safe water source; adopt safe hygiene practices; use improved sanitation facilities; and adopt good principles of water resources management, protection, conservation and development.

There are several factors that contribute to unsafe hygienic practices which include :-

cultural practices,
poverty,
lack of wells/ boreholes, insufficient of machines to pump water
level of education (literacy), and
scarcity of water sources.
ETC

All these factors determine the ways we manage water resources and overall demand on water related services. As a result of good sanitation and hygiene practices lagging behind from the development of water services, the year 2008 has been regarded as the International Year of Sanitation to achieve all the UN Millennium Development Goals by the year 2015.

WATER , SANITATION AND HEALTH CARE SERVICES

The Tithandize Orphan Care organisation seeks to serve communities in all aspects of life such as Health, Education, Environmental and Human Rights. It's focusses especially not only in orphan care, but also on home based care, infant feeding services, and water services with the financial support of The Australian AIDS Fund Incorporated.

Four years ago, Tithandize, with the help of the AAFI managed to bring water through a gravity felling system down from Ndirande mountain swamps in a pipeline down to the Ndirande Matope Village.

This year, this systen was dramatically and significantly enhanced with the construction of three concrete water reservoirs (each with the capacity of 70,000 litres) and new, larger pipelines.

As a result, more than 5,000 families living at Matope and surrounding villages within the Ndirande area are now benefiting from the Australian- funded Water project.

Here in Malawi,there is only one government owned company that supplies water to people, the Water board-Statutory Coorporation.This company isn't able to provide enough water to the public, and there are shortages and breakdown in supply as a result, especially in midweek and at weekends.

This water shortage can cause consumers to take serious risks by using unsafe water.

The Tithandize water project serves the community

To use on domestic usages, e.g for bathing, cooking, drinking etc, etc
Other water goes to the Tithandize water Dam/Fish ponds. The dam is not only used to keep fish, but is also used in watering vegetables such as Tomatoes, chinesse cabbage, cabbage, lettuce, eggplants, etc.-This food is also used to feed the children at the Tithandize Daycare Center.
The same water is also used by community to mould bricks, ready for future building projects at Tithandize.

LESSONS LEARNT

From this year’s World Water Day’s theme ‘’SANITATION’’,as well as from the past experience ,we have learnt some lessons that we need to materialize in the future as one way of responding positively to the theme, such as:-

Water usages, conservation and sanitation measures lessons needs to be relayed to the communities
There shall be need to increase water supply through gravity system, boreholes, wells or dams.
Ensure that the water we supply is well treated with recommended chemicals
Implement civic education meetings and capacity building seminars on hygiene, sanitation and water related issues.