International Relief and Development (IRD) has been working in Zimbabwe since 2009 on programs to increase food security, strengthen markets, and improve access to water, sanitation, and hygiene. As part of the Urgent Water Supply and Sanitation Rehabilitation Project (UWSSRP), IRD will implement an 8-month Sanitation and Hygiene Education Program to educate over 30,000 community members and 60,000 students in 6 urban areas on issues like solid waste management and open defecation through community groups, churches, and schools. The program aims to address Zimbabwe's most pressing hygiene and sanitation challenges through various training approaches.

1. International Relief and Development
(IRD) has been working in Zimbabwe since
2009 to help catalyze the transition of the
country from a complex humanitarian
emergency to development. IRD's
programs sustainably increase food
security, strengthen markets, and improve
access to clean water, sanitation, and
hygiene.
The Zimbabwe Multi-Donor Trust Fund
(ZIMFUND) was established to contribute
to the early recovery and development
efforts in Zimbabwe by mobilizing donor
resources and promoting donor
coordination in Zimbabwe.
A major component of the ZIMFUND is
the Urgent Water Supply and Sanitation
Rehabilitation Project (UWSSRP). The
UWSSRP covers investments in improved
water and sanitation infrastructure in six
municipalities namely: Harare,
Chitungwuiza, Chetugu, Kwekwe,
Masvingo and Mutare with a target
population of 4.15 million people.
As part of the improvements in water
and sanitation infrastructure IRD, has
under the UWSSRP, to implement an eight
month Sanitation and Hygiene Education
Program. IRD’s activites are intended to
take place in parallel with the
infrastructure investment. IRD will
conduct needs assessments, and develop
customer awareness campaigns to
address the most pressing hygiene and
sanitation challenges facing the target
communities in the urban and peri-urban
areas.
Through to April 2014, IRD will be
training over 30,000 community
members and 60,000 students in the six
urban areas through existing community
health groups, church groups and school
health clubs. The programme will directly
address issues identified through initial
assessments, covering topics such as solid
waste management, open-defecation and
water treatment. IRD will use various
approaches to train communities through
media platforms, organizing clean up
campaigns, inter-community
competitions and interactive training
sessions. In addition to training
communities in specific thematic areas,
IRD will work with local authorities to
improve access to water and sanitation
facilities, and highlight the importance of
maintaining these new systems.
IRD ZIMBABWE, 70 The Chase, Mt. Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe, Tel 263 4 333841, www.ird.org
Sanitation and Hygiene Education Program
Project Profile