Improving WASH services in Zimbabwe: experiences from a rural WASH project

Rural WASH Project (2012-2016) was implemented in rural areas of Zimbabwe covering 33 of 60 rural districts in five provinces aiming at improving WASH services. This project was built over four thematic areas of WASH infrastructure, demand led sanitation & hygiene promotion, Public Private Partnership for Operation & Maintenance, and WASH sector governance. The project achieved almost of all the planned results by end of October 2016. The project resulted in massive capacity development of government and community based structures for sustainable delivery and management of WASH services. For the first time in the history of Zimbabwe, demand led sanitation mainly without subsidy was successfully implemented resulting in construction of over 107,048 latrines, and achieving 2,555 Open Defecation Free villages. The project is now being scaled up in other districts and provinces under the 2nd Phase of the Project.